SARNIA, ON — After missing most of last season due to injury, Don McElroy has eased back onto the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit in 2007, making just 28 starts in the provincial program heading into Saturday night’s Grassroots event at Hiawatha Horse Park.

However, with drives in four of the eight two-year-old pacing colt divisions, the veteran reinsman proved he still has the touch that earned him back-to-back Lampman Cup trophies in 2002 and 2003. Guiding four colts he had never driven before, McElroy earned two wins, one third and one fifth-place finish.

Teaming up with longtime friend Bob McIntosh in Race 3, McElroy fired Just A Suggestion off the gate from Post 4 and the colt cruised home a two and three-quarter length winner in 1:56. Shipps Destination and Northern Ace battled their way to the second and third-place finisher’s share of the $15,000 purse.

Bred and owned by LaSalle resident McIntosh, Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. of Leamington and Dwight Stacey of Mitchell, Just A Suggestion was making his first appearance in the Grassroots program and in the winner’s circle. Through five starts the Camluck son now boasts one win and two seconds for earnings of $15,520.

McElroy, who makes his home in Ingersoll, made his second appearance of the evening in the Hiawatha winner’s circle with John Kopas trainee Keystone Debonair following Race 8. The Grinfromeartoear son delivered an impressive effort up the outside to claim the two length victory in 1:55.2. Chucks Secret finished second and J J Gladiator was six lengths back in third.

Kopas trains Keystone Debonair for his father Jack Kopas of Ilderton and breeder George Hempt of Camp Hill, PA. The colt started his provincial campaign in the Gold Series season opener, and has honed his skills in overnight action at Mohawk Racetrack since then, scoring one second to add to Saturday’s victory.

Driver Michael Sumner also recorded a Grassroots driving double at Hiawatha on Saturday, piloting Shady Idea and Kerrs Light to victory in Races 1 and 9.

Shady Idea stalked pacesetter The Jay Rock through fractions of :27.3, :57.4 and 1:26.3 before sprinting down the lane to a half length victory in 1:55.3. Longshot Coupon Bob got up for second, leaving The Jay Rock to settle for third.

Trevor Warwick of Nichols, NY trains Shady Idea for his partner Peter George of West Perth, Australia and started the Camluck colt in the Gold Series before dropping him into the Grassroots for the Hanover Raceway contest on Aug. 18. Second at Hanover, Shady Idea now has a total of 75 Grassroots points and sits in a tie for fifth in the division standings.

London resident Sumner opted for a similar strategy with Kerrs Light, sitting on the rail in fourth throughout the mile and then driving down the stretch to snatch a half-length win away from favourite J Vs Tank in 1:55.4. Woodmere Astroid closed hard from the back of the pack to finish third, leaving pacesetter Whitesand MacGyver to settle for fourth.

Daryl Roberts of London trains and shares ownership on Kerrs Light with Mark Kerr of London. Kerrs Light also made his Grassroots debut at Hanover on Aug. 18, where he finished third. The Astreos son currently sits tied for ninth in the race toward one of 16 post season berths.

Dougs Fame stepped off the fastest mile of the eight Grassroots divisions, matching the two-year-old pacing colt track record with a two length victory in 1:54.1.

Randy Fritz guided the Gregg McNair trainee to the impressive score in the last Grassroots division, sending the colt to the top just past the quarter pole and sailing unchallenged around the five-eighths mile oval to their second victory in six starts. The Apaches Fame son was also a winner in a Georgian Downs overnight event in his racing debut on July 8.

Second in the Grassroots season opener at Kawartha Downs on July 19, Dougs Fame competed in the Battle Of Waterloo and then returned to Grassroots action for the Hanover event, where he finished fourth. Guelph resident McNair bred Dougs Fame and shares ownership on the colt, who currently sits fourth in the point race, with Ian Fleming of Londesborough.

The other Grassroots divisions went to Richlyn Hugh in 1:56.2, Three Doors Down in 1:54.4, and Casimir Hustler in 1:56.

The freshman pacing colts make the fourth stop on their Grassroots campaign at Grand River Raceway on Sept. 17, while the remarkably talented two-year-old trotting fillies invade Hiawatha Horse Park on Thursday, Sept. 20 for their fifth Grassroots skirmish.

For complete results please go to:

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