SUDBURY, ON — Queen Of Jewels trotted to the fastest win in four Grassroots divisions for the two-year-old trotting fillies at Sudbury Downs on Friday evening.
The King Conch daughter and trainer-driver Carman Hie stepped around the Sudbury Downs half-mile in a smart 2:03.2 to score their first victory in three starts and sneak into the top 16. Added to the pair of third-place finishes Queen Of Jewels posted in her first two Grassroots outings, Friday’s victory gave the filly a total of 74 points and extended her season to the Nov. 2 Semifinal at Georgian Downs.
Rockwood resident Hie shares ownership on Queen Of Jewels with Gary Smith of Burlington and Peter Kloepfer of Harley. The filly’s first lifetime victory came at the expense of fan favourite Memories Of Texas, who recovered from an early break in stride to be second, and third-place finisher Armbro Aquarius.
Designable wrapped up the regular season atop the division standings when she was awarded the victory in the fourth race after Vics Flag made a late break in stride and was placed back to second. The Earl daughter and trainer-driver Wayne Langille scored four wins, one second and one third in six Grassroots starts for a total of 237 points, well ahead of their nearest competitor. Langille trains Designable for his partners James Barton of Branchton, Jeff Adamson of Brantford and Terence Adamson of Harley.
Zorgwijk Delmonica rounded out the top three in Race 4, finishing five lengths back of the leaders.
Shaboomie also found herself moving from second to first in Race 1 when Sudbury Downs officials ruled that winner North To Alaska had interfered with Amblar Playgirl just past the three-quarter pole. As a result North To Alaska was placed back to fourth, Shaboomie moved from second to first, Odee Angelina was placed up to second from third and Amblar Playgirl was bumped from fourth to third.
Veteran reinsman Bill Gale was in the race bike behind Shaboomie for trainer Jim Haddon and owners Phyliis McNinch of Puslinch and Wendy Perkes and Barry McNinch of Rockwood. The New Victory filly concluded the regular season with two wins, one second and one fourth-place finish in five Grassroots starts for a total of 133 points and will compete in one of two $30,000 Semifinals on Nov. 2.
Taffeta Seelster captured the other Grassroots division with a flawless wire-to-wire performance for driver Wayne Henry. The King Conch daughter crossed the wire three lengths ahead of Petals Of A Flower and Armbro Acunar, stopping the clock in 2:06.2. Ross Henry of Arthur trains Taffeta Seelster, who will also appear at Georgian Downs in the post season, for his partner James Massey of St. Marys.
The top 16 point earners from the six regular season freshman trotting filly Grassroots events will compete in two $30,000 Semifinals at Georgian Downs on Nov. 2 and the top four finishers from each Semifinal will advance to the $100,0000 Grassroots Championship on Nov. 9.
Friday’s event also wrapped up Sudbury Downs 2002 Ontario Sires Stakes season, which featured five exciting events, including track records by two-year-old pacing filly Wendys Rocket and three-year-old trotting colt Abbey Road C. The OSS program looks forward to returning to Sudbury in 2003 when another group of talented two and three-year-old Standardbreds will be eager to write their names in the provincial history books.