INNISFIL, ON — B Cor Tanya dropped into the Grassroots program on Tuesday evening and found her way to the winner’s circle with a sharp 2:00.3 victory over the Georgian Downs oval.
The two-year-old trotting miss started her Ontario Sires Stakes career at the Gold Series level and scored one second and two fifths against the province’s top trotters before trainer Riina Rekila decided to give her a shot in Grassroots company. In Tuesday’s second $20,000 Grassroots division, B Cor Tanya and Rekila wrested control of the race from pacesetter Town Hall Babe before the three-quarter mark and sailed home to a four and one quarter length victory.
Town Hall Babe was a solid second, while third-place finisher Winning Agenda led the rest of the field across the wire 11 lengths to the rear.
Esa Lahtinen of Campbellville acquired B Cor Tanya from last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale for $25,000, and the Mutineer daughter has now earned $29,947 through her first six starts.
Former Gold Series starters won four of the Grassroots splits on Tuesday, starting with Striking Gold K in the first race of the program. The Striking Sahbra daughter and driver John Devine started from Post 7 and sat eighth through the :29.2 opening quarter, but the pair were on the move quickly, up to second by the 1:02 half and easily in control before the 1:33 three-quarters.
Trained by Keith Klages for breeder Robert Key of Leechburg, PA, Striking Gold K cruised home to a one and three-quarter length win over Fair Lady J and Maisie, stopping the clock at 2:04.4.
Mapley made a break in her OSS debut at the Gold Series level, but the Chris Beaver trainee was flawless at Georgian Downs on Tuesday evening, reeling off a two and three-quarter length win in 2:01.4. Baskin Wonder sat in the pocket behind the fan favourite to finish second, while Striking Jade closed well to claim the third-place share of the $20,000 purse.
Beaver trains Malabar Maple daughter Mapley for breeders Tim Gentry of Newark, OH and John Ryan Melsheimer of Hopewell, OH, and their partner Scott Winegardner of Newark, OH.
An error in the Gold Series also precipitated a move into the Grassroots for Raz Mackenzie trainee Igual Que Tu, but the Amigo Hall daughter delivered a classic front end effort in the seventh race to stop the Georgian Downs teletimer at 2:01.1. Thornton resident Stephen Byron engineered the victory for Westdale Stables of Hamilton and Caryl Leigh Mackenzie of Elora.
Gold Series dropouts Sienna Belle and Trinity Krysta rounded out the top three.
In the final Grassroots contest of the evening, Ziggy Jiggy delivered an impressive effort up the outside to claim her second Grassroots victory and take control of top spot in the division point race. The Southwind Lustre lass and trainer-driver Kelly Sheppard sprinted down the stretch to post a 2:02.4 score, three lengths up on Larissa and Lindys Goddess.
Dundas resident Sheppard shares ownership on Ziggy Jiggy with his father Cliff Sheppard, also of Dundas. In her first three starts the filly has recorded two wins and one fourth for a total of 108 Grassroots points and sole ownership of top spot in the race toward a post season berth.
The two-year-old trotting fillies will make a fourth attempt to earn Grassroots points on Sept. 12 at Grand River Raceway.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Georgian Downs on Tuesday, Sept. 9 with the arrival of the golden boys of summer, the three-year-old pacing colts, who will be ready to battle tooth and nail in their second last Grassroots event.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rgeodftu.html.