McNairs take both Battle of Waterloo eliminations

The fields are set for Grand River Raceway’s premier harness racing events for Ontario-sired two-year-old pacers, the Battle of Waterloo and Battle of the Belles, after five total eliminations on Monday (Jul. 25).

Driver Doug and trainer Gregg McNair swept the two Battle of Waterloo eliminations.

Sounds Good (Bettors Delight) was a resounding six-and-a-half-length winner in the first Battle of Waterloo elim. Santana Hanover (Big Jim, James MacDonald) got past double Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots winner Wall Street Bell (Shadow Play, Bob McClure) late for second. Coop A Loop (All Bets Off, Ed Hensley) finished fourth.

SOUNDS GOOD REPLAY

Michael and Sam Sergi of Canton purchased Sounds Good from Harrisburg for $62,000. The gelding is out of Well Said mare Southwind Silence, a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes champion at two. He is now one-for-three with a $19,656 bankroll.

The Moment Arose (Control The Moment) pulled away after sustaining racelong pressure to score by two-and-a-quarter lengths over Moment Is Here (All Bets Off, Trevor Henry).

Bettor Bea Terror (Sunshine Beach, Jody Jamieson) finished third. Parsons (Shadow Play, McClure) passed tired foes for fourth.

THE MOMENT AROSE REPLAY

The Moment Arose is two-for-three with $31,156 in earnings after a debut win in the Grassroots. John Stamatis and Joseph Orofiamma of Bolton co-own him with James Georgakopoulos. The colt is out of Rock On dam Goldstar Rosie.

The field, made up of the top four from each division and one fifth-place finisher drawn by lot, is below:

1-Bettor Bea Terror (Sunshine Beach, Jody Jamieson, Blake MacIntosh)

2-Sounds Good (Bettors Delight, Doug McNair, Gregg McNair)

3-Santana Hanover (Big Jim, James MacDonald, Scott McEneny)

4-Watch My Chips (Hes Watching, Tyler Moore, Scott McEneny)

5-The Moment Arose (Control The Moment, Doug McNair, Gregg McNair)

6-Moment Is Here (All Bets Off, Trevor Henry, Bob McIntosh)

7-Coop A Loop (All Bets Off, Ed Hensley, Ashleigh Hensley)

8-Wall Street Bell (Shadow Play, James MacDonald, Blake MacIntosh)

9-Parsons (Shadow Play, Bob McClure, Richard Moreau)

AE1-Big Dream Fella (Big Jim, Austin Sorrie, Wayne McGean)

AE2-Lyons Brushmarks (Sportswriter, Austin Sorrie, Anthony Beaton)

The McNairs also took the first of three Battle of the Belles eliminations.

Shake It Twice (Sportswriter, McNair) edged out co-favourite Lyons Bettorday (Bettors Delight, MacDonald) in the final strides of the first Battle of the Belles elimination timed in 1:56.3. Wifey Said So (Sunshine Beach, Travis Cullen) finished third.

SHAKE IT TWICE REPLAY

Shake It Twice broke her maiden last out in an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots victory. The Gregg McNair trainee is the first foal from Shark Gesture mare Set Me Up. John Fleischman of Ottawa co-owns the filly with Georges Groulx of Gatineau. Shake It Twice has won two of three career starts and earned $19,060.

Brynley Seelster (Big Jim, Jamieson) slid out of the pocket approaching three-quarters and chased down Blue Glamber (All Bets Off, Cullen) to capture the second elimination in 1:56.1. The latter was beaten by three-quarters of a length. Western Flames (Betterthancheddar, Bob McClure) took the last qualification spot in third.

BRYNLEY SEELSTER REPLAY

It was a maiden-breaking win for Brynley Seelster, a John Darling trainee out of the Betterthancheddar mare Better Than Happy. She missed the board in her three first starts and has earned $11,345. Jack Darling Stables of Cambridge owns the $35,000 London Selected sale purchase.

Ontario Sires Stakes Gold division leader Big Big Plans (All Bets Off) battled off two rivals in the stretch under mild urging from Henry to take the final elimination. Glenboro (All Bets Off, Cullen) got up over Ima Doll (Control The Moment, McClure) for place.

BIG BIG PLANS REPLAY

Robert McIntosh trains the heavily-favoured Big Big Plans, a daughter of double Kentucky Sires Stakes champion Somethinincredible (Ponder). Robert McIntosh Stables of Windsor co-bred the filly and co-owns her with Mardon Stables of Loretto and Dave Boyle of Bowmanville. She set a mark of 1:53.4 in her second Ontario Sires Stake Gold win on Jul. 14 and has earned $109,120 in four career starts.

The field for the Battle of the Belles, consisting of the top three from each elimination, is below:

1-Shake It Twice (Sportswriter, Doug McNair, Gregg McNair)

2-Brynley Seelster (Big Jim, Jody Jamieson, Jack Darling)

3-Western Flames (Betterthancheddar, Bob McClure, Blake MacIntosh)

4-Blue Glamber (All Bets Off, Travis Cullen, Jodie Cullen)

5-Big Big Plans (All Bets Off, Trevor Henry, Bob McIntosh)

6-Wifey Said So (Sunshine Beach, Travis Cullen, Jodie Cullen)

7-Ima Doll (Control The Moment, Bob McClure, John Pentland)

8-Lyons Bettorday (Bettors Delight, James MacDonald, Anthony Beaton)

9-Glenboro (All Bets Off, Travis Cullen, Jodie Cullen)

AE1-Ashlees Sweetie (Betterthancheddar, Travis Henry, Ashley Lendvoy)

AE2-Best Show (Shadow Play, Travis Henry, Ashley Lendvoy)

The $240,000 Battle of Waterloo and $160,000 Battle of the Belles finals will be contested on Monday, Aug. 1 at Grand River Raceway during the Industry Day festivities.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink