LONDON, ON — Fans enjoying Western Fair Raceway’s Grand Opening celebrations on Friday were treated to balmy weather and an outstanding evening of racing from the two-year-old Grassroots finalists.
Ontario’s top freshman trotting colts kicked off the Grassroots Championships in the seventh race and Linda Duncan and Eatonmeadow Clyde stepped off a 2:01.4 victory for ecstatic owner and breeder James Clark of Rockwood. The win was the colt’s first of the season and came off a come-from-behind effort that saw him sprint home from seventh at the three-quarters.
“He hasn’t had too many starts and is pretty green,” said Duncan. “But as it worked out, when Joe’s (Hudon) colt ran, that made the race. I knew then I had a good shot at first or second.”
The Yentls Image son and runner-up Knockout benefited from a late break by Joe Hudon trainee Sporty Hope, who was sitting second behind pacesetter Earl Of Openwood at the time. Earl Of Openwood drew in off the also eligible list when Loose Change Louie was scratched due to sickness and held on to earn the third-place finisher’s share of the $100,000 purse.
Eatonmeadow Clyde wrapped up his Ontario Sires Stakes season with a record of one win, three seconds and two thirds and tripled his earnings to $73,270 with the Championship victory.
The trotting filly Championship was a virtual replay of the Semifinal round with Hetties Charm firing to the front from the outside, Elouera launching a late challenge, and the pair finishing so close at the wire an examination of the photo was required to determine a winner. The only difference this week was the filly who earned the narrow victory.
Leaving from Post 1 Elouera and Mark Etsell eased off the gate into fifth spot as Hetties Charm sprinted to a :29.1 opening quarter from Post 5. Heading toward the half Etsell sent Elouera up the outside, and the Wesgate Crown filly pressed the pace through the remainder of the mile finally wrestling control from the pacesetter in the final inches when she managed to stick a nose in front and earn the 2:02.4 victory.
“I thought she was second,” admitted owner Jim Walker of Whitby. “I thought we won last week. We were ready to go (to the winner’s circle) and we were second, so tonight I figured, �Well we’re second again.’ When the numbers came up it was, �Wow.’ That was a really nice surprise.”
Walker shares ownership on Elouera with trainer Garth Gordon of Guelph, breeder Jean Brechkow of Amherstburg and Bobby Brown of Kingsville. The quartet have enjoyed a successful season with the filly, who boasts a record of two wins, two seconds and one third in seven starts and also tripled her earnings to $75,908 with Friday’s triumph.
The other Semifinal winner, Lexus Lulu, added to the exciting finish when she hit the wire just a half length behind the leaders in third.
Trainer Gregg McNair and driver Ray McLean, Jr. combined to capture both the pacing filly and pacing colt events with heavy favourites Fit For Britt and Stonebridge Galaxy, who had to overcome challenges early in the mile to earn their respective division titles.
Fit For Britt fired off the gate from Post 2, but Wipethatsmerkoff, who drew into Post 1 when S A Cheerleader was scratched due to sickness, was not going to let the Semifinal winner have the front without a fight. The two fillies battled to a :27.1 opening quarter before Fit For Britt was able to gain control and cool the torrid pace, sailing home to a 1:58 victory by three and three-quarter lengths. The other Semifinal winner Bastet Hanover closed well to finish second and Wipethatsmerkoff held on for third.
One race later Stonebridge Galaxy suffered interference at the start and McLean found himself nine lengths behind the leaders at the quarter pole, but the talented Apaches Fame son recovered quickly and powered to the lead just past the half. By the top of the stretch Stonebridge Galaxy was six lengths ahead of the field, and although XLB Joker and Antony Sue Prano were able to narrow the gap, Stonebridge Galaxy hit the wire three lengths on top in 1:57.
“I thought there was a good chance of winning both of them, but everything had to work out well. And, actually, both of them overcame tough trips,” said McNair after the race. “The filly got stung to the quarter, and the colt was back a whole lot at the quarter pole.”
Russell Doyle of Sydney, NS owns Fit For Britt, who scored her fourth straight win with the impressive effort, while Guelph resident McNair shares ownership on Stonebridge Galaxy with George Kerr of Gowanstown and Linda Cox of Bayfield.
The talented two-year-olds will now head to the Canadian Breeders at the end of November or to a well-deserved vacation before beginning preparations for their sophomore campaigns.
Western Fair Raceway wraps up its 2003 Ontario Sires Stakes season with a $130,000 Gold Final for the two-year-old pacing colts on Saturday evening at 7:30 pm.