The Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Grassroots division always includes horses who rise from humble origins and show strength late season. Homebred LP Bay was seventh in points standings for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings going into his $75,000 Saturday (Sept. 27) night Grassroots Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The son of Trixton—SOS Respect finished a fast-closing second to First Class Mass July 10 at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Grassroots leg 1.
Bred by co-owner Terry Devos of Langton, ON, trained by co-owner Mark Etsell of Rockwood, ON and co-owned by Peter Porter of Port Dover, ON, the striking near-black colt was making his first start wearing trotting hopples. LP Bay broke stride on Aug. 7 and Sept. 3 OSS Gold starts, frustrating in light of his going-away 2:00.4s victory in Grassroots leg 2, July 30 at Mohawk.
Ten Grassroots 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings, representing five Ontario trotting stallions, went behind the gate in Saturday’s Final.
Nick Gallucci trainee Hot Country (Muscle Mass—Feel Invincible As), owned by Millar Farms of Stouffville, ON, had a four-race win streak on the line. The divisional leader broke his maiden in Grassroots leg 3 at Mohawk on Aug. 8 and won Grassroots leg 4 at Hiawatha Horse Park on Aug. 30, plus Grassroots legs 4B and 5, Sept. 9 and 16 at Mohawk. He was the top-priced male trotter at last year’s London Classic Sale, selling for $110,00.
Raucous (Muscle Mass—Ms Mischief Maker) earned his going-away 1:59f win in Grassroots leg 2, July 30 at Grand River Raceway. Originally named Silent Thunder, the former $50,000 (U.S.) Harrisburg yearling started for new owner Écurie CSL of Sorel-Tracy, QC and trainer Jacques Dupont Saturday. Bred by Jeffery Ruch of Innisfil, ON and Stephen Palermo of Etobicoke, ON, Raucous recently sold on OnGait.com for $48,200 (U.S.).
In the Final, 1-5 favorite Hot Country was first to the front for James MacDonald, ahead of Toss Of The Dice (Travis Henry) and Great Trickster (Bruce Richardson). Raucous (Travis Cullen) confronted the leader approaching the first turn, providing cover to Beau Knight (Jody Jamieson) as Green Nineteen (Todd Ratchford) was caught three-wide. Raucous cleared past the :27.2 quarter, leaving Beau Knight to advance uncovered and pocket up. Hot Country stepped out from third past the :56.2 half, reclaiming command from Raucous. Dream For Peace (Tyler Borth) gained ground first-over into fourth on the final turn, followed by LP Bay (Mario Baillargeon). Hot Country reached three-quarters in 1:25.4
Fourth at the top of the stretch, LP Bay seemingly found another gear. He swept past Dream For Peace and the fading Raucous, overtaking Hot Country by a length and a quarter at the wire, scoring a 66-1 upset in 1:56.
In the winner’s circle, Baillargeon said that his colt was aggressive leaving in previous starts
“I think he wanted to get out of there too quickly,” Baillargeon said. “Mark [Etsell] decided to put the hobbles on him and he trained him with them and he trained great. Tonight, I just took my time coming out of there. We had the 10-hole and we got a covered trip.”
He added that patience paid off with the son of 19-year-old broodmare SOS Respect, herself an OSS Gold winner at Mohawk as a 2-year-old. “At the beginning of the year, I thought he was a real deal — I thought he was a Gold colt,” Baillargeon said. “He just got too anxious a little bit on us, but tonight he raced great. He was nice and calm and I think the hobbles reassured him.”
LP Bay is a half-brother to Willowtime, Sea Can, and Cruising In Style.
Baillargeon said he knew his colt was strong when the twice-asked favorite was weakening.
“At the top of the stretch, I looked at James [MacDonald],” Baillargeon said. “James seemed like he was done and [Hot Country] was in front by three, so I thought I had a good shot at the top of the stretch.”
The Grassroots final win raised hopes for a return to OSS Gold. “I think so. You know, if he draws a little better than tonight, I think he can go with the Golds,” said Baillargeon, who went over $100 million (Can.) in career driving earnings August 19. “Well, it’s a great number. You know, there’s not a lot of drivers that have done that. I’ve been at it for a lot of years now and I was looking forward to it.”
The OSS program has been part of Baillargeon’s success.
“Oh, it’s great,” he said. “I think it’s the greatest Sires Stakes program in the world. I’ve been here for 25 years and made a lot of money with the OSS, and every year it seems to have a world champion…It’s a great program.”