FRASERVILLE, ON — Bobcaygeon resident Paul Jackson, trainer Kirk Thomas of Peterborough and driver Allan Nicholls of Woodville teamed up to capture one win and one third in Grassroots action at Kawatha Downs on Tuesday.

Armbro Cougar kicked off the succesful afternoon for the trio as the three-year-old pacing colt went gate-to-wire in a smart 1:54.4. Without facing a challenge, the Island Fantasy son cruised under the wire one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Red Hot Fame and six up on Fame Of the Sea.

The win was Armbro Cougar’s third this season and the time matched a personal best effort from his freshman season. Kawartha fans were impressed by the winner of $75,530 in an Aug. 2 overnight at the Fraserville oval that saw him finish second by half a length in a 1:54 mile, and sent him off as their top choice on Tuesday.

Two races later the entry from the Jackson, Thomas and Nicholls triumvirate did not fare as well, as S A Cheerokee Chief faded to sixth in a 1:54.2 mile captured by longshot Kentucky Rebel, but they were shaking hands again after Race 7 when Stan Seelster claimed the third-place finisher’s share of the $15,000 provincial purse.

All three of Jackson’s colts had missed the July 15 Grassroots event due to sickness, and Tuesday’s battle was Stan Seelster’s first start since June 21, so while the Camluck colt did all the work up front through fractions of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:25.2, he could not stave off the hard charging Fastest Rustler and CMR Ball down the stretch.

The 1:55.1 score was Fastest Rustler’s first of the season. Owned by Paul Barkley of Morrisburg and trained by Gregg McNair, the Rustler Hanover son started his Ontario Sires Stakes season at the Gold Series level, but has struggled against the top colts in recent weeks.

Tony Kerwood piloted Fastest Rustler to the win and also appeared in the winner’s circle after Race 4 with Cruisin To Fame, who recorded the fastest of the 10 Grassroots divisions with a 1:53.4 effort. A three-wide move at the quarter pole landed Cruisin To Fame and Kerwood on the lead and they never faltered, hitting the wire one and a quarter lengths up on Northern Pacific and Armbro Cabot.

Owned by Gerrie Tucker of Montreal, QC and Sampson Street Stables of Old Forge, PA and trained by William Elliott, the Apaches Fame son now has three wins and one second to his credit through four Grassroots starts this season, putting him atop the division standings with a total of 175 points.

Also capturing a pair of driving victories was Lampman Cup points leader Ross Battin, who teamed Winfall Nasty to a 1:54.4 score in Race 2 and was back in front of the grandstand after Race 9 with Stonebridge Fame.

It was the sixth win of the season for Winfall Nasty, who is trained by Andy Hardy for Frederick Woolford of Mount Brydges. The Rambaran son outsprinted runner-up Fast Factor to score the neck victory, with Dreamfair Kogel a length back in third.

Battin chose a front-end strategy to earn Stonebridge Fame his fourth win of the season. The Apaches Fame son, trained by Stanley Malec for his Classic Farms of Belle River, coasted around the Kawartha oval to the 1:54 victory over Waterside Fastball and fan favourite Major Seelster.

The other Grassroots divisions went to D Js Legacy in 1:55, Grand Yank in 1:54.4, The Thief in 1:54.2 and Love Me Naut in 1:55.

The three-year-old pacing colts resume their Grassroots rivalry on Sunday, Sept. 11 at Dresden Raceway, while Ontario Sires Stakes action does not return to Kawartha Downs until Tuesday, Sept. 27 when the three-year-old trotting fillies arrive to battle in their last Grassroots event.

For complete Grassroots results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rkdftu.html