CLINTON, ON — Ontario’s top three-year-old pacing colts wowed Clinton Raceway fans with seven impressive Grassroots wild card divisions on Sunday afternoon, including a trio of 1:56 miles.
Rudy Cruz and driver Jody Jamieson kicked off the speed display with an upset in the talent laden second division. Fans selected Corona Grande as their top choice and the Camluck colt led the field through much of the mile, with Jamieson and Rudy Cruz parked right on their heels in second. As the colts straightened for home Jamieson hit the turbo button and Rudy Cruz polished off a :28.1 last quarter to score the three-quarter length victory over Corona Grande.
Gold Final winner Armbro Warranty closed for third while Daylon Harbour, owned by trainer Dan Morrissey and David Morrissey of Ailsa Craig and William Woodburn of Parkhill picked up the fourth-place finisher’s share of the $15,000 purse.
The win moved Rudy Cruz into a two-way tie for top spot in the Grassroots division standings with 150 points earned through a pair of wins and a pair of seconds. Buck Jobin trains the Armbro Cruiser son for breeder Joseph Mader of Windsor and the win boosted the gelding’s bank balance to $54,921.
Jamieson replicated the 1:56 time in the seventh race with an even bigger longshot, teaming Pacific Pegasus to a nose victory over favourite Morocco. The young driver used a similar strategy to secure his second Grassroots win of the day, settling in behind pacesetter Rob The Rock and waiting until the stretch to make his move. Rob The Rock stayed game for third, while Run Tim Run paced into fourth for David Morrissey and William Woodburn.
Alan and Cloah Fair of Ancaster bred and own Pacific Pegasus and Alan also handles the Pacific Rocket son’s training requirements. Jamieson picked up the drive on the winner of $62,759 when Michael Langdon opted for Nat Varty trainee Seagrove, who finished fifth. The win moved Pacific Pegasus into a three-way tie for fifth spot in the division standings with a total of 100 points from a pair of wins.
Wilder Echo and driver Rick Zeron wrapped up the afternoon’s excitement with a third 1:56 mile in Race 12. The Armbro Operative colt duked it out with local entry Analyze This, owned by trainer Paul Taylor and Kenneth Merner and Bob Hardy of Lucan, on the front end through the first half of the mile before taking control and cruising home to the length and a half win.
Trained by Debra Budahn for The Gutsy Stable of Rolling Hills Est, CA, Wilder Echo was making just his fifth start of the season and improved his record to three wins and one third with the effort. The win boosted the colt well up the division standings and solid efforts in the final two Grassroots events at Hiawatha Horse Park on Oct. 8 and Western Fair Raceway on Oct. 18 could earn Wilder Echo a berth in one of two Grassroots Semifinals that will be hosted by Windsor Raceway on Oct. 27.
While Corona Grande’s stretch of victories in the Grassroots came to an end in the second race, Zacs Rocker maintained his perfect 2002 record with a win in the third division. Driven by Tony Kerwood for his wife Susanne Kerwood and owners Calea Stables of Caledon and Wortzman Pryce Stable of Aurora, Zacs Rocker led throughout much of the mile and breezed home to an easy 1:57.2 victory over Big Louie and Mcmac.
The three length win gave the Pacific Rocket son 150 points from three wins in three Grassroots starts this season and moved him into a tie with Rudy Cruz for top spot in the division standings.
Local favourite Blue Hot Poker scored his second Grassroots win in the tenth race to move in to second spot in the standings with 137 points from a pair of wins, one second and one third in four Grassroots starts. Andy Hardy of Lucan trains the Broadway Blue son for his partner Andrew Polishuk of London and the duo have banked $43,174 on Blue Hot Poker’s behalf this season.
The other two divisions went to Cam Bo Informal in 1:58.1 and Cliftons Revenge in 1:56.1.
The three-year-old pacing colts return to Grassroots action on Oct. 5 at Hiawatha Horse Park, while the Gold Series competitors head for Windsor Raceway on Sept. 29 for their second last regular season event.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Clinton Raceway in two weeks, on Sunday, Sept. 22, with Grassroots divisions for the three-year-old trotting colts.