HANOVER, ON — Hanover Raceway fans were treated to the Grassroots season opener for the two-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night and local filly Nika delivered an impressive 1:59 victory to kick off her Ontario Sires Stakes career.

Leaving from Post 1 with Jim McClure in the race bike, Nika wasted no time establishing herself as the filly to beat. On top by four lengths at the opening quarter, clocked in :29, the Bo Knows Jate daughter cruised unchallenged through a 1:00.1 half and 1:30 three-quarters before sailing under the wire two and one-quarter lengths ahead of the field.

Drama Princess picked up the runner-up share in the $21,647 contest, while Mary K Girl was 13 lengths behind the leader in third.

Kitchener resident John Rier trains Nika and shares ownership on the talented filly with his brother Randy Rier of Hanover. The brothers also bred and raised the filly, who now has two victories on her resume through three lifetime starts, and earnings of $14,327.

A Fiesty Affair carved her name into Hanover Raceway’s history books with a 1:57.2 track record equalling victory in the second Grassroots division. Like Nika, the daughter of Camluck and So Fiesty took full advantage of Post 1, leading through all stations on her way to the nine length victory over Allamerican Tiger and In The Bedroom.

Scott Coulter piloted A Fiesty Affair to her first victory, equalling the 1:57.2 two-year-old pacing filly track record set by Teacher Supreme and Alias Seelster in 2005. Bill Elliott trains the filly for owner and breeder Robert Hamather of Exeter.

The front end was a popular spot for the Grassroots winners on Saturday, as all five divisions were won by the fillies who carved out the mile. Onyx Killean started the trend in the first division, cruising from Post 2 to an eight and one-quarter length victory in 1:58.3.

Gary Wallace trains and drives the Astreos daughter for Liam Wallace of Troy. A $10,000 yearling purchase at last fall’s Forest City Sale, Onyx Killean prepped for her Ontario Sires Stakes debut with an impressive 2:00.3 qualifying victory at Flamboro Downs on July 11.

Bayamastar and Lauras Lil Champ rounded out the top three in the first division.

Trainer Carl Jamieson piloted Ms Harrington to a 1:58.4 gate-to-wire victory in the eighth race for his partners Thomas Kyron of Etobicoke, Fred Brayford of Alliston and George Arthur Stable of Rockwood. The win made a small deposit against the $180,000 the partners anted up to purchase the daughter of Camluck and Idylwood Legend at the Forest City Yearling Sale last October.

Ms Harrington, a full-sister to $1.1 million winner Lady Graceful, bested Dangerous Mind and Ridge Road Emma to earn her first victory in two lifetime starts.

The final Grassroots division went to Random Dreamer and James Ritchie, who led the field through fractions of :29, 1:00.3 and 1:30 and then held on in the stretch to earn the neck victory in 1:59.2. Kingfishers Gypsy was narrowly beaten for second and Ver Oye Going Now was five and three-quarter lengths behind the leaders in third.

James C. Baillie and James H. Baillie of London bred and own Random Dreamer, who is a daughter of D M Dilinger and Dextra Special, and Frank Baker, Jr. handles training duties on the filly.

The two-year-old pacing fillies will resume their Grassroots campaign on Aug. 5 at Clinton Raceway, while Hanover Raceway fans are treated to Grassroots excitement from the two-year-old pacing colts on Saturday, Aug. 18.

For complete results please go to:

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