SARNIA, ON — One week after their last Grassroots event was cancelled due to poor track conditions at Hiawatha Horse Park, the three-year-old trotting colts wrapped up their regular season with six impressive performances by the top colts in the division.

Heading the list of winners on Thursday night was Industrial Strenth, who jumped to the top of the Grassroots standings with a 2:00.1 victory in the sixth race. The Angus Hall son and driver Jim McClure sat in the middle of the pack through most of the mile, tipping out before the three-quarters and sailing home to a one and a quarter length win over Victory Balance and Brylin Renegade.

The win was the gelding’s ninth of the season and his second in Grassroots action, boosting his four start point tally to 150. Benoit Baillargeon trains the winner of $50,097 for Joanne Nestved of Dover, DE.

Jim McClure was back in the winner’s circle after the eighth race with Brawn Seelster, who earned his way into the Oct. 7 Semifinal with wins in both of his Grassroots starts. The Berndt Hanover son joined the Grassroots ranks in July after beginning his season at the Gold level, but skipped all of the events on half-mile tracks. LaSalle resident Bob McIntosh trains Brawn Seelster for his partners John Fielding of Toronto and CSX Stables of Liberty Center, OH.

McClure and Brawn Seelster hit the wire in 1:59.2, four and three-quarter lengths ahead of Where’s Berndt and Right Mind.

Runway also scored his second Grassroots win to move from thirteenth to fourth in the standings. In rein to trainer John Muir, the K M Lazer colt delivered an impressive come from behind effort to log the fastest win of the night, halting the Hiawatha teletimer at 1:58.2. Runway heads into the post season on a three-race win streak for owners Brian Glanville of Egmondville and Douglas Peacock of Exeter.

A Hay Luva Paige and Surfing Angus rounded out the top three in the $16,702 contest.

Viva Paco made a significant leap up the standings with his seven length, 1:58.4 romp in the fifth race. Before Thursday night’s contest the Yankee Paco son sat well back of the leaders in twenty-fourth spot, but his impressive victory earned him enough points to extend his season another week. Doug Arthur of Norwich trains the fractious trotter for his partner Michael Szorenyi of Putnam.

Claytons Valleylad and Don Is King trailed home well back of Viva Paco in second and third.

The other two Grassroots divisions went to St Lads Speedy in 2:00 and Scan Disk in 2:01.

The top 16 point earners now head to Georgian Downs on Friday, Oct. 7 for a pair of Grassroots Semifinals that will whittle the field down to eight for the $100,000 Grassroots Championship at Georgian Downs one week later.

The Ontario Sires Stakes program makes its final stop of the season at Hiawatha Horse Park on Saturday, Oct. 1 with Grassroots action for the two-year-old trotting fillies.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rsarfth.html