DRESDEN, ON — Dresden Raceway fans enjoyed another beautiful afternoon of Ontario Sires Stakes harness racing on Sunday, with the three-year-old trotting fillies providing this week’s entertainment.
Consistent performer Hetties Charm trotted to the fastest mile of the seven Grassroots divisions, halting the Dresden teletimer at 2:00 off a front-end effort engineered by top horseman Kevin Wallis. The Angus Hall daughter coasted under the wire two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Incredible Mother and three and one-quarter lengths up on Trotters R Us.
John Rier of Kitchener trains three-time Grassroots winner Hetties Charm for his partner Randy Rier of Hanover. Through seven starts this season the winner of $143,202 lifetime has posted a record of three wins and one second.
Wallis picked up a second victory in the fifth race aboard Charalambos Christoforou’s Cassatt, who wired the field in 2:01.2. The Earl daughter finished one length up on favourite Summerhill Hallie, with Scotch Thistle five and a half lengths behind the winner in third.
Christoforou owns Cassatt in partnership with Candace Jones of Lexington, KY and has conditioned the filly to two wins and two thirds in 10 starts this season.
Trainer Ross Henry also scored a pair of wins at Dresden on Sunday. The trotting specialist watched elder son Wayne open the afternoon with a 2:01.1 victory behind Wild Wack Woman, the King Conch daughter’s second straight.
Favourite Carla and Meadowview Marion picked up the second and third place finisher’s share of the $15,000 Ontario Sires Stakes purse.
The Henry Stable of Arthur and James Laverty of Sauble Beach share ownership on Wild Wack Woman, who leaped up the Grassroots point standings with her first OSS win of the season.
Eight races later Henry’s youngest son Trevor piloted Chelemark Spring to a 2:01.1 upset victory over favourite Chloe K and Marclif Victoria. Owned by the Henry Stable, the win was the Super Pleasure daughter’s first in a sophomore campaign that has seen her make several miscues.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Creme Caramel in 2:01, Sno Doubt About It in 2:01.4 and Very Violet in 2:03.1.
The three-year-old trotting fillies return to Grassroots action on Labour Day Monday, Sept. 6, at Quinte Exhibition Raceway, while Dresden Raceway wraps up its 2004 Ontario Sires Stakes season on the same day with the exciting two-year-old trotting fillies.