INNISFIL, ON — The Golden Child lived up to his name on Tuesday night with an impressive 1:57 Grassroots victory over a rain-soaked Georgian Downs oval rated two seconds slower than normal.
Starting from Post 7 trainer-driver Mark Etsell had The Golden Child in high gear early, roaring out to a :27.2 opening quarter. Two lengths ahead of the sophomore trotting colt field at the :57 half and three lengths up at the 1:25.3 three-quarters, The Golden Child hung tough in the stretch to claim the win, hitting the wire one-half length ahead of Cimeronken and Osprey Vision.
Barrie resident Etsell shares ownership and breeding credit with Neil Spahr of Wellesley and Robert Newton of Walkerton. The partners have watched the Striking Sahbra gelding struggle this season, notching just three wins and one second in 10 starts for earnings of $36,993. With 71 points garnered in his five Grassroots starts, The Golden Child finished the season ranked twenty-second in the three-year-old trotting colt standings.
Sylvain Filion, who is in a three-way battle for top spot in the Ontario Sires Stakes driver’s standings, added a few more points to his tally with two Grassroots victories on Tuesday. The Milton resident scored his first win aboard last year’s division champion Northern Victory, who sailed around the Georgian Downs oval to a 1:58.1 clocking. Fan favourite Ill Be There settled for second, one length behind the leader, and Duke Of Vegas rounded out the top three.
Northern Victory will lead the sophomore trotting colts into the post season with a total of 158 points earned through two wins, two seconds and one fourth in six Grassroots starts. Gerard Demers conditions the Amigo Hall son for Robert Montgomery of Carp.
Filion made his second appearance in the winner’s circle with Northern Escort, who sprinted down the stretch to grab a half length victory away from fan favourite Summer Indian and pacesetter Deck The Halls.
Northern Escort stopped the teletimer at 1:57.3 to secure a second straight Grassroots trophy for trainer Justin Filion and owner Les Ecuries JYJ Inc. of St-Andre-D’Argenteuil, QC. Through 15 starts this season the Kadabra colt has posted six wins, two seconds and earnings of $104,160.
Driver Billy Davis Jr. also delivered a Grassroots double, guiding Somebody AS to a win in the fourth race and Oaklea Uptown to victory in the eleventh.
Fan favourite Somebody AS cruised to a one length win over Touchdown Toss and House Money in a personal best 1:57.4. The Striking Sahbra gelding boosted his record to five wins, two seconds and one third in 10 starts for trainer Anette Lorentzon and owner-breeders ACL Stuteri AB of Paris, KY.
Sent off as the second choice in the last Grassroots division, Davis Jr. and Oaklea Uptown battled hard in the stretch to hold on to a head victory over favourite Heres The Magic in a sharp 1:57. Nowucit Nowudont finished six and a half lengths behind the leaders in third.
Trainer Julie Walker of Owen Sound shares ownership of Oaklea Uptown with breeder Oaklea Farm Inc. of Simcoe and Dr. Ian Grant of Orangeville. The win boosted the Mutineer son into the top 16, extending his season through the Sept. 19 Semifinals at Grand River Raceway.
The other Grassroots divisions were captured by The Northern Dude in 1:58; Call Me Hanover in 1:59.4; and P L Fantastic in 1:57.3.
The top 16 point earners from the six regular season events will now battle in a pair of Semifinals on Sept. 19, with the top four finishers from each advancing to the Grassroots Championship at Grand River Raceway on Sept. 29.
The two-year-old pacing colts will wrap up their Grassroots regular season at Georgian Downs on Tuesday, Sept. 11.
For complete results please go to Georgian Downs Results — September 4, 2012