Ontario’s talented three-year-old trotting colts journeyed to Dresden Raceway on Sunday afternoon, battling in five $24,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions.
Tymal Colossus opened the program with an impressive effort up the outside that saw him reel in pacesetter Winbak Hall in the stretch to score a 2:01.4 victory. Plato followed Tymal Colossus up the outside to earn second-place honours, leaving Winbak Hall to settle for third.
Scott Wray piloted Tymal Colossus to the win for his father, trainer Jack Wray. The father-son duo, who hails from London, Ont., also shares ownership of Tymal Colossus, who has captured two victories in six outings this season, along with one second and one third. The Striking Sahbra gelding has one win, one third and one fourth in Grassroots action for a total of 83 points, moving him closer to a berth in the post season with one regular season event remaining on the sophomore trotting colt calendar.
Next in the Dresden winner’s circle was heavy favourite Major Herbie, who cruised to a 2:00 victory, three and one-half lengths ahead of Max Money and Big Strike.
Trainer Wayne Henry engineered the Here Comes Herbie son’s seventh victory of the season for his partners in the Henry Stable of Arthur, Ont., and Dan McCann of Parkhill, Ont. The win was Major Herbie’s fourth straight and moved him into a tie for second spot in the division standings, assuring him of a berth in the Sept. 24 Semifinal.
Blazin Benny delivered the first upset of the Grassroots program, catching fan favourite and pacesetter Duke Of Glory heading for the three-quarter marker and accelerating away to a four length victory in 2:02. P C La Mousse trotted into second, with Psychic Turmoil landing the third-place share for trainer Doug McIntosh of Wheatley, Ont. and his partners Stuart McIntosh of Essex, Ont. and Henry Svec of Blenheim, Ont.
Bradley Kramer of Lennon, Michigan piloted Blazin Benny to his second Grassroots victory for his partners Timothy Hall of Burton, Michigan and E C S Racing LLC of Rockford, Michigan. Gerald Malady conditions the homebred son of Angus Hall and Benns Riverdance, who has accumulated 105 points in three Grassroots appearances this season and will be looking to pad that tally when the trotting colts wrap up their season at Grand River Raceway on Sept. 14.
In the fourth division trainer-driver Joe Hudon Jr. and Idle Time took command from Post 3 and never looked back, sailing along on the front end to a three and one-half length victory in 2:01.2. High Stakes Banker and Herecomesthechief followed the pacesetter into second and third.
The win was Idle Time’s second in 10 starts this season and gives him a total of 125 Grassroots points. Acton, Ont. resident Hudon shares ownership of the Angus Hall colt with R A W Equine Inc. of Burlington, Ont., and Herbert Boggs of Duncan, B.C.
The final division featured a showdown between division leaders Frill Seeker and Count Strike, and this week it was Frill Seeker who put an end to Count Strike’s Grassroots win streak. Frill Seeker and driver Doug Brown took full advantage of Post 3 and rolled out to a :29 opening quarter, while Count Strike struggled away from the outside Post 7 and made an uncharacteristic break.
With his rival trailing by 13 lengths, Frill Seeker romped along on the front end to a five and one-quarter length victory in 2:00.2. Chuckalo Caden, who was off stride briefly at the start, trotted into second, with Count Strike one more length back in third.
Ron Waples Jr. conditions the talented Frill Seeker for Ebbsfleet Stables of Stratford, Ont., and has sent him behind the gate 11 times this season. The Angus Hall gelding has delivered six wins, three seconds and one third for earnings of $97,860. With four wins and one second through the first five Grassroots events, Frill Seeker currently sits atop the standings with 225 points.
The three-year-old trotting colts wrap things up at Grand River Raceway on Sept. 14, and Dresden Raceway wraps up its 2011 Ontario Sires Stakes schedule on Sept. 5 with Grassroots divisions for the exciting two-year-old pacing colts.
(OSS)