McClure doubles in Grassroots again

MILTON, AUG. 16, 2021 – For a second night, two-year-old pacing colts were the feature performers at Woodbine Mohawk Park, competing in five $22,000-plus Grassroots divisions on the Monday evening program, and harness racing driver Bob McClure added two more wins to his Ontario Sires Stakes tally with Contact Zone and Dynomites Peak.

Contact Zone captured the second $22,500 division, taking command heading past the half and then cruising home five lengths ahead of My Blueberry Buck in a personal best 1:53. Stone Carver was two more lengths back in third.

CONTACT ZONE REPLAY

“He’s a very nice colt. I’ve been high on him and I’m sure he’s a Gold colt, but he’s been green and needed more experience and confidence,” said trainer Casie Coleman Herlihy on the decision to return to the Grassroots program for the third leg after tackling the Gold colts on July 16. “He will most likely try some of the open events he’s paid into and the Gold next. He’s getting smarter and stronger each week.”

Contact Zone finished a quick-closing second in the July 9 Grassroots opener before stepping up to the Gold level and logging an eighth-place result in his July 16 division, both at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He then finished second in a July 30 overnight at the Campbellville oval before scoring his first lifetime win on Aug. 6.

John Fielding of Toronto and David Anderson of Aurora, ON share ownership of the son of Bettors Delight and Impact Zone, who was a $175,000 purchase out of last fall’s Black Book Yearling Sale.

McClure picked up his second win in the last $22,850 division, teaming up with Dynomites Peak for a thrilling finish. Eighth at the three-quarter pole, Dynomites Peak rocketed home in :26.2 to snatch a win away from Century Iglesias in a personal best 1:52.3. Sports Adviser rounded out the top three and favourite Chikaboom was fourth.

“He had a very impressive closing kick. It was the same impressive closing kick he showed the last time I drove him, in his first Grassroots (July 9),” said driver Bob McClure of Rockwood, ON. “I don’t know how many moves, or how big of a move he’s got, but for one move he is extremely fast. He’s got that high, high turn of speed. I‘m surprised he only came home in :26.2, I really thought he was touching :25.”

DYNOMITES PEAK REPLAY

Robbie Robinson of Metcalfe trains Dynomites Peak for owners Jacqueline Dinelle and Paul Smyth of Metcalfe and Earl Casselman of Winchester, ON, who offered up $7,000 for the Artspeak son at last fall’s Ontario Select Yearling Sale. With a perfect 100 points in two Grassroots starts, the gelding currently sits in a three-way tie for top spot in the two-year-old pacing colt division standings.

Macho Phil got things under way in the first $22,500 division with a confident steer from James MacDonald that saw him on the front end before the halfway marker and cruising home a one and one-quarter length winner in 1:52.3. Century Invictus and Shotgun Jerry followed the fan favourite under the wire in second and third.

“I was real happy with his effort tonight. It was nice to see him forwardly placed early in the mile so he didn’t have so much ground to make up late,” said trainer Shawn Steacy. “He’s a very green, professional colt, that’s just starting to learn how to race.”

MACHO PHIL REPLAY

Monday’s outing was Macho Phil’s first in Ontario Sires Stakes action. The son of Shanghai Phil, owned by Katherine Steacy of Lansdowne, ON and breeder Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. of Hudson, QC, had made two starts in overnight action at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finishing sixth on Aug. 3 and fourth on Aug. 10.

The third $22,850 division saw Magical Arthur benefit from a move down to the Grassroots from the Gold Series. In rein to Sylvain Filion, the Artspeak son was on top before the half and paced home unchallenged in 1:55. Bootlegger Charlie and Hes Stalking You finished second and third, and fan favourite St Lads Sterling settled for fourth.

“He’s a very nice colt. He’s been a top colt for me all along. We thought after qualifying he might make a Gold colt for us, and we probably should have gone to the Grassroots earlier,” said trainer Anthony Beaton. “He was actually super tonight.”

MAGICAL ARTHUR REPLAY

Magical Arthur made his racing debut in the July 16 Gold Leg and finished seventh. He then tried his hand over Grand River Raceway’s half-mile oval in the July 26 Battle Of Waterloo eliminations and made a break before finishing seventh. He rebounded from those efforts with a runner-up finish in overnight action at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Aug. 3 and Beaton and owner-breeder David Lumsden of Ancaster, ON are hoping he continues to go forward off Monday’s win.

In the other $22,850 division, Cold Creek Queso and driver Austin Sorrie turned a pocket trip behind fan favourite Twin B Jammer into a one-half length victory in 1:54. Twin B Jammer settled for second and Sports Fan was another length back in third.

COLD CREEK QUESO REPLAY

Monday’s outing was Cold Creek Queso’s second lifetime start. The Betterthancheddar son, with Sorrie in the race bike, finished a fast-closing second in his racing debut at Georgian Downs on Aug. 7. Murray Brethour of Sunderland trains the homebred gelding for Cold Creek Standardbred of Grafton, ON.

The freshman pacing colts will make their fourth Grassroots stop at Clinton Raceway on Sept. 5.

Tuesday (Aug. 17) night’s program at the Campbellville oval features two $102,000-plus Gold Series divisions for the two-year-old pacing fillies in Races 5 and 9.

For full race results, click here.

From the Ontario Sires Stakes