DRESDEN, ON — Armbro Wishingwell delivered an impressive performance to capture the quickest of seven Grassroots divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies at Dresden Raceway on Monday afternoon.
The Village Jasper daughter and driver Mark MacDonald stepped to the front from Post 2 and never glanced back, coasting home to a four and one half length victory in 1:57.2. Wendys Prospect and Caliterra could not catch the fleet footed Armbro Wishingwell and settled for second and third in the thirteenth race.
The Equilibrium Stable of Waterdown owns Armbro Wishingwell, who boasts a record of six wins, three seconds and one third in 12 starts this season.
The unseasonably cool temperatures were hard on the race favourites as just two fillies sent off as the fans’ top choice managed to deliver the goods. Bob McIntosh trainee Its A Cam Lie came up with a steady 2:01.2 effort in the fifth race to reward her enthusiastic backers.
North America’s leading driver Chris Christoforou made the trip to Dresden to drive the Camluck filly, who led from wire-to-wire en route to her second win of the year for McIntosh of Windsor and CSX Stables of Liberty Center, OH. Endurance and Lonesome Cat rounded out the top three.
The only other favourite to carry home an Ontario Sires Stakes trophy was Signature Seelster in Race 11. The Camluck daughter allowed Gigalos Gal to take the field through fractions of :27.3, :58.4 and 1:29.3 before taking control at the head of the stretch and sprinting home to the 1:59 victory. Eyes Wide Shut finished a fast closing second and Gigalos Gal held on for third.
WDM Stables of Ancaster own Signature Seelster, who was selected as the Dresden fan favourite based on her record of two wins, two seconds and two thirds in 10 early season starts. Michael Langdon drove Signature Seelster to the win for WDM Stables and trainer Don LeBlanc.
The other divisions went to Victorious Killean in 1:58.2, Trys Lucky Lady in 2:00.2, Red Star Veronica in 2:01.1 and Make Some Noise in 1:59.4.
The next stop on the three-year-old pacing filly Grassroots tour is June 22 at Sarnia’s Hiawatha Horse Park, while Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Dresden Raceway on Canada Day, July 1, with Grassroots divisions for the three-year-old trotting colts.