Torches Star picked up her third consecutive victory and added to her lead atop the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots standings in the three-year-old filly trot group with a 1:57.2 victory in the last of five $18,000 splits on Tuesday night (September 2) at Mohawk Racetrack.
With Hall of Fame driver Steve Condren in the bike, Torches Star made a first-over rush into the lead past the :28.4 opening quarter. She would go on to click off the half in 58 seconds, and then she faced a first-over challenge from K D Bella (Mike Saftic) at the 1:28 three-quarters.
Torches Star and K D Bella continued to duel into the stretch and early leader Chelseas Chance (Randy Waples) came out of the pocket to make it a three-filly fight. Torches Star was unyielding at the inside, though, and she held sway to prevail by half a length. Chelseas Chance was the runner-up and K D Bella checked in third.
Torches Star, an Angus Hall filly, is trained by Ben Wallace for owner Brad Grant of Milton, Ontario, Torches Star has won four times from 11 tries this year, and she posted her fifth career win. She has earned $40,980 on the campaign and $88,144 lifetime. Torches Star also won in Grassroots competition on August 24 at Rideau Carleton Raceway and at Mohawk on both June 17 and August 12. As a two-year-old, she was the winner of a Gold Series consolation at Grand River Raceway.
Back in the Grassroots opener it was Quadrophonia (James MacDonald) winning and picking up her second Grassroots triumph of the season. Quadrophonia was boxed in the pocket at the top of the lane and had almost five lengths to make up on leader Suegrabbitnrun (Randy Waples) at the eighth pole. Quadrophonia was able to track down the loose leader in the shadow of the wire, though, and won by a length in 1:57.2. Suegrabbitnrun had to settle for second and Northern Secret (Mario Baillargeon) checked in third.
Dave Menary trains the victorious Kadabra filly for owner Kjell Magne Andersen of Norway. Quadrophonia, who was unraced as a freshman, has four wins from nine attempts this year to go with a bankroll of $37,900. Quadrophonia’s other Grassroots success came back on June 17 at Mohawk.
Mystical Wishes (Doug McNair) rebounded from a break last time out at Rideau Carleton to win on this night as the heavy favourite. Competing in the second division, she followed Flexible Woman (Steve Byron) from second-over and then powered away in deep stretch to win by three lengths in 1:57.1. Flexible Woman held second with Carefulwhatyouwish (Keith Crawford) back in third.
Tony Alagna trains the winner, a daughter of Muscle Mass, for co-owner/breeder Mystical Marker Farms LLC. of Dyer and co-owner Peggy Hood of Valparaiso, Indiana. Mystical Wishe is six-for-11 in the win column this year after going winless in four tries as a rookie. She has put away $44,990 in 2014 and $48,740 in her life. This was Mystical Wishes’s second Grassroots win of the year as she also scored on August 12 at Mohawk.
The fastest of the five flights was the third one, and it went to Dream Act (Mario Baillargeon), who halted the clock in 1:55.2. She brushed to the lead past the 28 second opening quarter and after she hit the half in :56.4 and the three-quarters in 1:25.2, she trotted a 30 second final kicker to win by eight lengths over Aphrodity (Rick Zeron). Missys Ga Ga (Randy Waples) finished third.
Ben Baillargeon trains Dream Act, a Deweycheatumnhowe filly, for owners Andy Miller Stable Inc. of Millstone Township, New Jersey, Nic k Surick of Freehold, New Jersey, and Hannah Miller of Debary, Florida. This was Dream Act’s first victory from six trips behind the gate this season, and this was her second career success. She has earned $13,320 in 2014 and $34,320 in her life. Dream Act’s other career win came in an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold event last year at Georgian Downs.
The other winner in Grassroots competition on Tuesday night was Serendipitious (Chris Christoforou), who came first-over before three-quarters, took the lead in the lane, and went on to prevail by a length and a half in 1:58.2. Doweypuffandhow (Steve Byron) was next, followed by Capturethememory (Per Henriksen).
John Mungillo handles the training of the winner, a daughter of Majestic Son, for owner Guy Polillo of Brantford, Ontario. Serendipitious has a pair of victories from 15 efforts this season, and this was her third career success. She has banked $18,872 on the campaign and $28,772 lifetime. Serendipitious was also a Grassroots winner at Georgian Downs as a two-year-old.
In other news, the final Grassroots event for sophomore trotting colts and geldings that was unable to be raced Monday night at Mohawk due to an early cancellation was staged as a non-wagering event before Tuesday night’s card. Winning the race was Jack Litten (Doug McNair), who led through splits of :27.4, :57.2, and 1:26.4 en route to a 1:56.3 score. Class Me Nice (Rick Zeron) was second and Massive Pockets (Anthony MacDonald) nabbed third.
Jack Litten is a Muscle Mass gelding trained by Gregg McNair for owner Jarold Hawks of Jeddo, Michigan. Jack Litten, who did not compete as a two-year-old, has two wins from 11 starts in 2014, and he has put away $38,962. Jack Litten also won a Grassroots dash on June 26 at Mohawk.
The next Grassroots event for three-year-old trotting fillies will be staged on September 11 at Flamboro Downs. For full results and charts of Tuesday night’s races at Mohawk, please visit �
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0902mohsn.dat.