BELLEVILLE, ON — Quinte Exhibition Raceway kicks off the second long weekend of summer on Friday with eight Grassroots divisions for Ontario’s best two-year-old trotting colts.

In addition to the colts sitting atop the division standings after the first two Grassroots contests, Quinte fans will be treated to a host of newcomers to provincial competition including three from the Mark Steacy barn.

First out of the gate for the Lansdowne resident is Keystone Bounty, who will start from Post 6 in the fifth race on Friday. Since qualifying at Rideau Carleton Raceway on July 13, the Angus Hall son has two runner-up finishes over the Ottawa oval to his credit.

A $47,000 acquisition from last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, Keystone Bounty is owned by David Reid of Glenburnie, Stan Klemencic of Trenton, David McDonald of Cornwall and A K Malik Stable of Ottawa. Steacy will also drive the colt on Friday.

Keystone Saint will start closest to the rail of the Steacy entries, making his Grassroots debut from Post 2 in the sixth race. Another son of Angus Hall, Keystone Saint followed the same path to the Ontario Sires Stakes as his stablemate — qualifying once at Rideau Carleton and then practicing his craft in a pair of overnights. Fifth in his racing debut on July 21, Keystone Saint was a 2:03.4 winner at Rideau on July 28.

Steacy, Reid, McDonald and George Judson of Athens share ownership on Keystone Saint, who was a $50,000 purchase from the Harrisburg Sale.

The full brother to Steacy’s brilliant three-year-old trotting colt Majestic Son will make his racing debut at Quinte on Friday. Majestic Ace will start from Post 5 in the ninth race for Reid, Klemencic, McDonald and A K Malik Stable. The group anted up $42,000 at last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale for the impeccably bred youngster and would love to see him follow in his brother’s footsteps.

In addition to the Ontario Sires Stakes newcomers, Steacy will also send Pumped Up into the Grassroots fray after an unsuccessful run at the Gold Series colts at Mohawk Racetrack on July 13. The King Conch son finished sixth in his Gold Elimination, but could manage no better than ninth from the outside Post 10 in the July 20 consolation.

Tracy Varin of Cornwall purchased Pumped Up from last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale for $35,000 and would love to see the colt return a portion of that on Friday. Unfortunately Pumped Up’s progress will once again be hampered by an unfavourable post position, he will start from the outside Post 7 in the tenth race Friday.

Post time at Quinte Exhibition Raceway on Friday is 7:25 pm and the two-year-old trotting colts will showcase their talent in Races 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

For complete entries please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/eblvlfr.html