Grassroots semi-finals complete

The stage is set for the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Finals after the harness racing three-year-olds clashed in their semi-finals on Friday (Sep. 23) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Rose Run Xcentric (Kadabra) kicked off proceedings with a pacesetting victory in the first division for trotting fillies. James MacDonald steered the filly in the three-quarter-length win in a career-best 1:54 over Saint Antoine (Scott Young). Regular season leader Stormont Molly (Sylvain Filion) finished third. Grace (Anthony MacDonald) was six further lengths back in fourth. Ladyflix (Jody Jamieson) collected the final cheque.

ROSE RUN XCENTRIC REPLAY

The winner, a Rob Fellows trainee, is five-for-21 lifetime and has now earned $105,706 for owners Brookbro Racing and Chris Bell. She won the Pure Ivory final at two and competed in stakes company but dropped to the Grassroots level this season.

Hang On Baby (Muscle Mass, Filion) hit double-digit wins on the season as she took the other filly trot semi-final. She held off fellow closer Hershey Seelster (James MacDonald) by half of a length while taking a new lifetime mark of 1:54.3. Stormont Mabel (Young), Resolving (Travis Cullen), and Muscle Up The Gold (Phil Hudon) were third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, in a blanket finish.

HANG ON BABY REPLAY

Hang On Baby recently moved to the Dave Menary barn for owners Ralph and Sandra Pitt. The filly has tallied 12 victories in 27 outings with $133,603 in earnings. She swept the Ontario-sired Spring Series and has bounced between the Gold and Grassroots level while also contesting a Pop-up Series.

Momentarily (Control The Moment, Louis-Philippe Roy) carried her division-leading point total into a lifetime-best 1:50.2 semi-final victory in the first group of pacing fillies.

Girl Scout Cookie (Austin Sorrie) was a neck short from the pocket. Delight Bayama (Filion) finished third.  Fade Out (Doug McNair) and Girl In A Tavern (Jonathan Drury) rounded out the top five.

MOMENTARILY REPLAY

A dominant regular season winner, Momentarily won three preliminary Grassroots dashes for trainer Daniel Lagace, who co-owns her with Ben Mudry, Edwin Buhler, and Robert Van Ostrand. The filly has earned $94,476 and won eight of her 22 lifetime starts.

Raptors Won (Big Jim) prevailed in the second split for pacing fillies. She pulled first-over on the final bend, grinded clear of Dewitt For Josie (Jamieson), and held off the motoring Morethanmyhometown (Filion) for the 1:51.3 score. The latter edged out Dewitt For Josie for place. Warrawee Xpat (McNair) finished fourth with Quebecoise (Young) a half-length adrift in fifth.

RAPTORS WON REPLAY

It was a new mark for Raptors won, who debuted this season at three. She has started 16 times for $93,223 and five victories. Nick Gallucci trains the Millar Farms homebred.

Warrawee Xalt (Royalty For Life, Young) cruised to a two-and-three-quarter-length win in the first semi-final for male trotters. Standings leader Renegade Gypsy (James MacDonald) held off Archery Seelster (Sorrie) for second. Ima Standup Guy (Filion) and Marvin Hagler (Jamieson) came away with the fourth and fifth spots, respectively, as a length-and-a-half separated the final five finishers.

WARRAWEE XALT REPLAY

Jeff Gillis trains Warrawee Xalt and co-owns him with Ellen Ott. The gelding’s past three starts have yielded all of his wins to date. He raced once at two, shutting down after a break in an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold contest.

Resolute Bay (Resolve, James MacDonald) trekked the first-over path to his fourth consecutive victory in the other group of trotting colts and geldings. Kipper Whipr Snipr (Roy) took the tow of the winner to a place cheque. Lenis (Chris Christoforou) was third. Radio Lab (Ed Hensley) and Mr Fritter (Jamieson) were fourth and fifth, respectively, in a three-across finish.

RESOLUTE BAY REPLAY

The Stable’s Resolute Bay group owns the gelding, who is now seven-for-24 lifetime and has raked in $83,749 in earnings. Harry Poulton has trained him to two Grassroots preliminary rounds this year.

Kobra Kai (Shanghai Phil, James MacDonald) defeated Stop The Shootin (Jamieson) to take the first semi-final for male pacers in a all-out battle in which the lead changed four times. The pair were a head apart at the line in 1:52.4. Coligny Hanover (Sorrie), Sip Of Bourbon (Paul MacDonell), and Doug McNair were promoted to third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, as Final Cheeserecipe (Filion) was disqualified to eighth from third due to interference.

KOBRA KAI REPLAY

Another Fellows trainee, Kobra Kai is now five-for-25 lifetime. He has won all of his most recent four starts. Patrick Dillon owns the gelding, who boosted his bankroll to $92,228 with the win.

Dreamfair Arnie B (Sportswriter, Cullen) captured the last semi-final, the second for pacing males. The top regular season point-getter cruised through the final 1/16th of a mile and stopped the clock in 1:50.3. Second-place finisher Chucky Hanover (MacDonell) sliced down the margin to a length. Jabberwocky (James MacDonald) was third. Stone Carver (Sorrie) was fourth. Dynomites Peak (Roy) got up for fifth.

DREAMFAIR ARNIE B REPLAY

Dreamfair Arnie B is a homebred for John Lamers. Jodie Cullen trains the colt, who has now won six for 19 appearances and has pulled in earnings of $86,073.

James MacDonald visited the winner’s circle five times on the evening.

The Grassroots Finals are set for Saturday, Oct. 1 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The next race date at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, Sep. 24 is the $3.6 million Mohawk Million card. Featured are the $525,000 Shes A Great Lady, $350,000 Elegantimage, $900,000 Metro Pace, $615,000 Canadian Trotting Classic, and the $1,000,000 Mohawk Million. The action will begin at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink