SARNIA, ON — Hiawatha Horse Park fans will get a second dose of Ontario Sires Stakes excitement this week when the two-year-old trotting fillies roll into town Saturday evening for their fifth Grassroots event.
With several of the top fillies trying their hand at the Gold Series this week, the door is open for fillies hovering near the current cut off line to snatch up valuable Grassroots points and secure a berth in the post season.
Trainer Ross Henry will start seven fillies on Saturday, two with firm positions in the top 16, two hovering very close to the current cut off, two further back in the standings and one making her debut at the Grassroots level.
Division leader Softys Caitlyn will attempt to pad her 25 point lead with a solid effort from Post 7 in the seventh race. The K M Lazer daughter, owned by the Henry Stable of Arthur and Wally Yantz of Bloomingdale, heads into Saturday’s contest on a two-race win streak in Grassroots action after scoring runner-up finishes in her first two starts in the provincial program. Among the fillies Softys Caitlyn will face in her quest for a third-straight victory is former Gold Series competitor Emerald Tortilla from Post 5.
Henry trainee Indys Kylee is also is in a solid position heading into her fifth Grassroots start, with one win, one second and one third to her credit for 87 points. A daughter of Fiesty G G, Indys Kylee rolls into Sarnia off an eight length win in Grassroots action at Clinton Raceway on Sept. 14. The filly will face off against a field of 10 from post 7 in the first race, including her stablemate Trotters R Us, who will start from Post 5.
After four starts Trotters R Us has recorded one second, one fourth and one fifth in Grassroots action and sits 12 points below the current cut off with 38 points. A solid effort on Saturday night could easily lock up a top 16 spot for the Emile Angus daughter, owned by Ross Henry and his son Wayne Henry of Arthur.
Also within striking range of the top 16 is Scratchthatitch, who will start from the outside Post 9 in Race 6 on Saturday. The Incredible Abe daughter has taken the members of the Henry Stable on a roller coaster ride this season.
Finishing fourth in her debut, in a Trillium Series event at Rideau Carleton Raceway on July 4, Scratchthatitch missed the first Grassroots event due to sickness. In the second event she finished fifth, but was placed back to seventh for causing interference while on a break. She rebounded to capture her Grassroots division at Hanover Raceway on Aug. 23, but then finished a disappointing sixth at Clinton three weeks later. A return of her Hanover form could guarantee the filly a spot in the Oct. 24 Grassroots Semifinal at Western Fair Raceway.
Henry’s remaining starters, Wild Wack Woman, E B Maggy and Norwellfamenfortun, will have a tougher time moving far enough up the standings to extend their freshman campaigns. Wild Wack Woman will be looking for her first top three finish from Post 5 in Race 2, while E B Maggy (Post 1) and Norwellfamenfortun (Post 4) square off against a tough field in the eighth race that includes undefeated P C Dreams from Post 3 and Cassatt from Post 7.
Hiawatha Horse Park raises the curtain on its Saturday evening program at 7:10 pm with the first Grassroots division for the two-year-old trotting fillies. The talented youngsters also star in Races 2, 6, 7, and 8.