INNISFIL, ON — Raising The Bar delivered an impressive effort at Georgian Downs on Saturday evening to score her second Grassroots victory of the season and secure a berth in one of two sophomore trotting filly Semifinals at the Innisfil oval next weekend.
With trainer Tom Durand in the race bike, Raising The Bar fired out of Post 4 and controlled the race from start to finish, laying down fractions of :28, :58 and 1:27.3. The Angus Hall daughter halted the clock at 1:58.2, rolling under the finish line four lengths up on favourite La Joyeuse Mor and eight and a half lengths ahead of third-place finisher Shez Mine.
Through three Grassroots starts Raising The Bar scored two wins and one third for a total of 112 points and a share of eleventh spot in the division standings. The win marked a return to form for the young trotter, owned by Puslinch resident Durand, Diane Ingham of Mount Pleasant and Ron Durand of Paris.
Local filly Ima Sweetie Too came up with a solid effort in the first Grassroots division to finish second to favourite Summerhill Hallie. Keith Jones of Midhurst owns, trains and drives Ima Sweetie Too, who missed the cut off for next week’s Semifinal by just seven points.
Like Durand, driver Dave Boughton opted for front end tactics with Summerhill Hallie and the three-year-old filly trotted through fractions of :28, :59.2 and 1:29.2 on her way to the 1:59.1 score. Another daughter of Angus Hall, Summerhill Hallie fought off a challenge from Hetties Charm at the three-quarters and sailed home to the one and three-quarter length victory over Ima Sweetie Too and Trotters R Us.
Ron O’Neill trains Summerhill Hallie for Debi Martin of Freelton, Daniel Harper of Toronto and Paul Larrabee of Freelton and Saturday’s victory was the filly’s third of the season, giving her a record of three wins, one second and one fifth in six Grassroots starts for a total of 180 points.
Robert McClure piloted Creme Caramel into a post season berth with a 2:00 score in the second race. The Mr Lavec daughter has been impressive since making her racing debut on July 30. Through six starts she has a record of four wins and two thirds for earnings of $27,373. Trainer Randy Boyce of Markdale and Monica Boyce of Flesherton share ownership on Creme Caramel.
Donna Wallbanger scored a narrow upset in the last division, sticking a head in front of favourite Tenacious Dream to earn the 1:59.2 win. The Angus Hall daughter and driver Kelvin Rose were making their first Grassroots start of the season and were the only division winner not to earn a spot in the post season.
Rocco Auciello trains Donna Wallbanger for PVC Management Inc. and breeder Glenn Van Camp of Port Perry. Lexus Lulu rounded out the top three in Race 10.
The other divisions went to French Brocade in 2:00.3 and Very Violet in 2:01.2.
Georgian Downs wraps up its outstanding 2004 Ontario Sires Stakes season with the three-year-old Grassroots Semifinals on Oct. 23 and the $400,000 Championships on Oct. 30. Both evenings will showcase the finest sophomore trotting and pacing colts and fillies as they attempt to earn their respective Grassroots crowns.