ELMIRA, ON — When Larry Clements watched Lovefest score the fastest win of four Grassroots divisions at Elmira Raceway on Friday night, the Listowel owner could not help but feel a pang of regret.
He and trainer Mark Etsell had considered sending the Village Jiffy daughter to the Gold Series at Woodbine Racetrack on June 30, but decided a Grassroots debut would be a kinder introduction to the Ontario Sires Stakes program. However, her wire-to-wire 1:58.3 victory made Clements wonder again how Lovefest would have fared against the province’s top fillies.
With Etsell in the race bike Lovefest went straight to the front from Post 1 and sailed through fractions of :29, :59.3 and 1:28.4 en route to the half length win over Fit For Britt and Wipethatsmerkoff.
Elmira fans who had watched the filly finish second in a 1:59.3 mile 10 days ago wisely made her the favourite in the sixth race and received $3.60, $2.20 and $2.90 for their win, place and show wagers. Second choice Fir For Britt returned $2.30 and $2.20, while Wipethatsmerkoff paid $3.30 to show. The exactor was worth just $5.90 and the triactor paid an even $50.
Lovefest’s win was the only accurate prediction made by Elmira fans, as the other three Grassroots divisions saw the favourites go down in defeat.
Cammissy scored a mild upset in the first race, receiving a classic steer from Terry Kerr to run down pacesetter Haleys Cam in the stretch. Additional Terms rounded out the top three. The fans’ top choice, Kings Motivation, was never a factor and finished sixth.
Camluck daughter Cammissy, owned by trainer Peter Davis of Arva, stopped the clock in 2:00.1.
In the third race driver Greg Dustin watched the pace develop for the first half before putting Armbro Bailey on the move up the outside. The duo reached the front just past the half and were comfortable four and a half length winners in 2:00.1. Dazzle Me closed well to earn the second-place finisher’s share of the $29,670 purse, while early pacesetter A And Gs Rockette settled for third. Favourite Los Angeles suffered interference at the half way mark that knocked her out of contention.
Fred Jamieson of Putnam owns and trains Village Jiffy daughter Armbro Bailey, who came into her Grassroots division off a 2:01.4 victory in a June 21 qualifier at Flamboro Downs.
The final Grassroots division went to Armbro Bell and Allan Cullen, who stopped the clock in a leisurely 2:01.3 with a burst of speed down the stretch. Sent off as the fan’s fifth choice, the Armbro Operative daughter reeled in favourite Pocketfulastarlite and three others with her last minute charge. Landfair Duena recovered from an early break in stride to finish second, while Octave Hanover was third.
Chatham resident Terry McCorkle trains Armbro Bell for his partner Rick North of Chatham. Between a fourth-place finish in her racing debut at Dresden Raceway on June 22 and Friday’s victory, Armbro Bell has already repaid her $7,000 purchase price, plus interest.
The two-year-old pacing fillies make their second Grassroots start at Kawartha Downs on July 19, while those who dream of grander things will head for the Gold Series at Georgian Downs on July 15.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Elmira Raceway on July 28 with Gold Eliminations for the two-year-old trotting fillies. The top fillies from the July 28 elimination round will be part of Elmira Raceway’s last Industry Day program on Monday, Aug. 4 and their Gold Final will be the last Ontario Sires Stakes event contested at the half-mile oval before it closes and reinvents itself as the Grand River Raceway in Elora.