WINDSOR, OCT. 27, 2001 — Doug McIntosh trainees swept both Grassroots Semifinals for the two-year-old trotting colts at Windsor Raceway on Saturday evening. The Wheatley resident appeared in the winner’s circle following Races 1 and 7 with a pair of Balanced Image colts owned by Walnut Hall Limited of Lexington, KY.
Ryan Hall opening the program with his third win of the season, taking advantage of a late break in stride by pacesetter Armbro Warden to post the 2:02.3 victory.
In rein to Trevor Ritchie, Ryan Hall sat in the middle of the eight-horse field as Armbro Warden posted fractions of :29.4, 1:01.1 and 1:31.4. When the fan favourite went offstride at the top of the stretch Ryan Hall had moved into second and was poised to take over the lead, trotting off to the one length win over Royal Hope and Cyclone Artie.
“It’s unfortunate that the horse on the front made a break because he’s a nice colt, but I think we were going to win anyway,” said Wheatley resident McIntosh. “I’m very happy with the way he raced. Trevor (Ritchie) said that you can feel that he wants to go out and win every time.”
Six races later McIntosh’s other freshman trotting colt posted a 2:01. 3 score with an impressive front-end performance. Creigmeister finished three-quarters of a length back in second while J Ls Sunny Boy crossed under the wire four lengths behind the winner in third.
“He raced very well. When Wayne (Henry) came up on the outside (with J Ls Sunny Boy) and was challenging near the three-quarters I thought about letting him go, but my colt grabbed on and wanted to trot so I let him,” said driver Ritchie after the race.
“Doug has both horses in fine form for the Final,” added Ritchie. “We haven’t decided who I will be driving, but it really doesn’t matter because they are both very nice colts.”
Corona Grande extended his win streak to seven with a 1:57 effort in the first pacing colt Semifinal. Driver Greg Wright and the Jack Darling trainee set a sharp pace through the 4 degree Celsius weather to hit the wire three-quarters of a length ahead of Ritchie and Armbro Wallstreet. Judge Cam and Spencers Victory finished third and fourth.
“He’s very sharp right now and we just have a little fine tuning to do for next week’s Final,” said trainer Darling. “He’s a tough horse who will stay game when he has some competition.
“We are very happy with the year this colt has had. I hope we can be back in the winner’s circle next week,” added the Windsor resident, who shares ownership on the $54,421 winner with long time partner Dan Smith of Dorchester.
Armbro Warranty won the other pacing colt Semifinal with a 1:56.3 effort over Cam Bo Informal and Great As Gretz.
Favourite Clemol failed to advance to next week’s Grassroots Championship, finishing well behind Early Secret who romped to a nine length win in the second trotting filly Semifinal. Paul Walker trains and driver Early Secret for Malcolm MacPhail of Dover Centre and William Loyens of London and the partners were thrilled with the filly’s 2:04.1 effort.
“She was 100 per cent. She was absolutely fantastic,” raved MacPhail in the winner’s circle. “Paul (Walker) said that she was better than what her earnings showed and tonight she proved him right. She raced very tough.
“I hope she races the same next week. I’d love to be back here in the winner’s circle.”
Cajalooking finished second behind Early Secret and Direct Dial, owned by trainer Robert McIntosh Stables Inc. of Windsor, CSX Stables of Liberty Center, OH and Michael Kohler of Sterling Heights, MI, finished third after drawing in off the also eligible list when Megs Gig came up sick.
The other trotting filly Semifinal went to Summertime Dream, who posted a 2:06 victory over Equine Grace and Ava Hall. Paul Walker’s second entry, Freestall Fanny, finished fourth.
Armbro Wallflower posted the quickest of the two Semifinal contests for pacing fillies, stopping the teletimer in 1:58.2. The Village Jasper daughter was sent off as the favourite by Windsor fans who saw her win a Trillium Series event on Oct. 6 in 1:55.4.
“I wanted to be on the front to control the race, because I knew we had to make the Final next week, but we won’t need to race on the front in the Final,” said driver Stephane Brosseau. “She can race from off the pace, or on the front. It depends how the race unfolds.”
Lansdowne resident Mark Steacy trains Armbro Wallflower for his partners Stan Klemencic of Trenton and David Reid of Kingston.
Jack Darling and Dan Smith’s second entry, Eyes Wide Shut, hit the wire three lengths back in second, just ahead of third-place finisher Garland Seelster. Albertina, owned by William Kirkpatrick of Windsor and Pamela Loomis of Grosse Pointe, MI also qualified for the Final. Runaway Bea posted a 1:59 triumph over Sweetheart Killean and Catch This Bunny in the other pacing filly split.
The top four finishers from Saturday’s Semifinal round return to Windsor Raceway on Nov. 3 for the two-year-old Grassroots Championship Night, featuring four $100,000 races.
The track also hosts the two-year-old trotting filly Gold Final on Friday, Nov.. 2 and the two-year-old pacing colt Gold Final on Saturday, Nov. 3.
FOR MORE CONTACT SANDRA SNYDER AT 519-656-2017 OR smsnyder@sentex.net.