Love That Smile shines in Battle elims

Love That Smile tied a Grand River Raceway harness racing track record on Monday as the daughter of Sportswriter captured the first elimination for the Battle of the Belles.

The filly tucked into a large three-hole gap on the first turn and rendezvoused with the top two as the rookie pacing fillies passed the quarter mile marker in :27.4. Roy steered her away from the pylons and demanded a quick surge as they approached the half in :57.2, but leader Cheryls Shadow (James MacDonald) responded in time and fought for the front down the backstretch.

Love That Smile’s nose was in front at the third quarter station, which they reported to in 1:25, and she cleared a tiring Cheryls Shadow as they swung through the final turn. Roy finished his work at the 1/16th pole, and Love That Smile eased to the record-equaling 1:54.2 score by three and a half lengths. Cheryls Shadow’s place spot was secure as Marykeeponburnin (Jody Jamieson) finished eight lengths behind her in third.

LOVE THAT SMILE REPLAY

Love That Smile, a Rene Bourassa trainee, has won two of her four starts. Rene Bourassa, a resident of Fergus, trains and shares ownership of the filly with M&S Racing Stable Inc. of Rockwood, Gilles Caouette of Sudbury, and Marc Gelinas of Shawinigan. The horse has now earned $25,483.

She became the third two-year-old pacing filly to complete a mile in 1:54.2 at Grand River. She joins Alicorn – winner of the Shes A Great Lady, Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final, and Eternal Camnation – and Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final champion Right On Molly in achieving that mark. Alicorn also tied the 1:54.2 record in her Battle of the Belles elimination; she finished second in the final after breaking stride at the start and gaining first-over the rest of the way.

Warrawee Xpat led throughout in the second elimination and created a two-race winning streak going into the final.

Jamieson hustled the Sportswriter filly to the front in a :27.4 first quarter and conserved stamina with a :58.1 half. Action began with a pocket pop from Speak Your Mind (Tyler Moore) at three-quarters in 1:27.2, but Warrawee Xpat neutralized that challenge and completed the win in 1:55.4. Speak Your Mind gained as Jamieson ceased efforts late, but the filly was a length short in second. Big Bettor Hanover (Mike Saftic) was close in third.

WARRAWEE XPAT REPLAY

Warrawee Xpat is now two-for-three lifetime with $18,908 in earnings. Jeffrey Courchesne of Cambridge and Martwest Racing Stable of Mississauga purchased her from the 2020 Ontario Select Sale for $6,000. Gabriella Sasso, who returned from a four-year absence in 2021, is in charge of the horse’s training.

The post positions for the $145,060 final are:

1 – Love That Smile
2 – Big Bettor Hanover
3 – Warrawee Xpat
4 – Speak Your Mind
5 – Cheryls Shadow
6 – Stonebridge Thalia
7 – Dewitt For Josie
8 – Rhone Hanover
9 – Marykeeponburnin
AE – Darby Ogill

Grand River Raceway also held eliminations for the Battle of Waterloo, the track’s feature race each season. The stake is open to two-year-old pacing males.

Sasso doubled in the day’s eliminations as her Erinwood Yves used a late split to take the first division and his first career victory.

Jamieson worked the State Treasurer colt into the pocket early, and he followed leader Century Inspector (Moore) through :27.4, :57.1, and 1:26.3 panels. Ron (Louis-Philippe Roy) persisted first-up as they turned into the stretch, so Jamieson opted for the passing lane. Century Inspector was game, but Erinwood Yves proved quicker and got up to win by a head in 1:55.1.

Century Inspector finished second. Ron ran out of energy late but kept the show placing.

ERINWOOD YVES REPLAY

Erinwood Yves started his career with two top-three finishes in Ontario Sires Stakes Gold dashes. Courchesne and Martwest Racing Stable also own shares of this colt. They combined with Erinwood Equine Inc. of Rockwood to buy him for $12,000 from the Ontario Select sale.

Betterhavemymoney replicated the fillies’ best time with a 1:54.2 score in the second Battle of Waterloo elimination.

The Nick Galluci-trained son of Betterthancheddar entered the race undefeated after two Ontario Sires Stakes Gold victories. He swapped positions with Twin B Raptor (Trevor Henry) early – Betterhavemymoney started fastest, lost the lead when Twin B Raptor pressed to the front, then re-took it after passing the quarter in :27.4.

Betterhavemymoney laid down :57.1 and 1:26.1 middle fractions for reinsman James MacDonald while absorbing first-over pressure and easily paced away form his eight opponents to win by four and a half lengths. Twin B Raptor finished second over Stone Carver (Saftic), who closed from seventh for show.

BETTERHAVEMYMONEY REPLAY

Betterhavemymoney has amassed $110,500 in his first three starts. Millar Farms of Stouffville owns their homebred gelding.

The post positions for the $251,050 final are:

1 – Century Inspector
2 – Sports Box
3 – Erinwood Yves
4 – Stone Carver
5 – Betterhavemymoney
6 – Ron
7 – Stews Watching
8 – Nassau Hanover
9 – Twin B Raptor
AE – Dreamfair Arnie B

The finals of both races will be held on Monday, Aug. 2 during the annual Industry Day card. First post will be 12:30 p.m. EDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink