Waples & McIntosh with pair of Grassroots wins

SEPT. 5, 2016 – Harness racing driver Randy Waples and trainer Bob McIntosh teamed up to win two Ontario Sire Stakes Grassroots trophies at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday evening.

First to line up behind the Mohawk starting gate from the McIntosh barn was Many A Man, and Waples sent the two-year-old trotting colt away from Post 2 and landed third on the rail as Little Lion Man trotted to fractions of :28.3 and :59. Heading for the 1:29 three-quarters Waples sent the favourite up the outside behind Radical Road and then tipped out in the stretch and took aim on the wire. Many A Man sprinted home to a one-half length victory in a personal best 1:57.4, leaving Little Lion Man and Radical Road to settle for second and third.

"He's a very nice colt who's getting stronger all the time, that was an impressive last quarter tonight," said McIntosh. "He also has perfect manners."

Windsor, ON resident McIntosh bred and owns Many A Man in partnership with C S X Stables of Liberty Center, OH and Dave Boyle of Bowmanville, ON. The son of Manofmanymissions and Armbro Sylvie was also a Grassroots winner at Mohawk Racetrack on July 28 and Rideau Carleton Raceway on August 4. With one fourth and one fifth-place finish in his other two Grassroots starts, Many A Man finishes the regular season with 163 points and leads the freshman trotting colts into the post season.

Many A Man

Five races later Waples paraded onto the Campbellville oval with McIntosh trainee Willie Wonka and lined up behind the number one on the starting gate. The pair dropped into the pocket spot behind Mr Marshmellow and watched that colt roll through fractions of :28.3, :58.2 and 1:28.3. As the colts turned for home Waples once again gave his mount an open lane and Willie Wonka trotted by the pacesetter and held off a closing Zorgwijk Rocket to earn his first lifetime victory in 1:59.2 Charmbo Chrome also closed hard to be third.

"He's been a late bloomer," said McIntosh of Willie Wonka. "I was never that high on him, but Randy liked him from the beginning and thinks he will be a good one.

"He's a big growthy colt, should be even better next year I think," added the Hall of Fame horseman.

McIntosh and Dave Boyle bred and own Willie Wonka, who is a Kadabra gelding out of Amour Chocolat. In his first three Grassroots outings Willie Wonka finished seventh, third and sixth which, combined with Monday's win, give him a point total of 67 and a chance to join his stablemate in the Sept. 15 Semi-finals at Mohawk.

Willie Wonka

McIntosh's other entry in Monday's Grassroots test, My Big Kadillac, finished sixth in the second division, but also secured a berth in the post season, giving Milton, ON resident Waples a choice of Semi-final mounts.

The victor in the second division was Head Turning Jag, who stalked favourite Santini from third and then rolled up the outside behind Yo Yo Mass and on to a three and three-quarter length victory in a personal best 1:57.2. Santini and Yo Yo Mass settled for second and third.

The win was the second straight and the first in Grassroots action for Head Turning Jag and driver Trevor Henry of Arthur, ON. Along with two fourths and one third, the son of Angus Hall and Vanilla Rainbow accumulated 78 points and will join McIntosh's starters in the Semi-final round.

"He is a nice mannered colt that just took a little longer to figure it out than others," said Henry, who pilots Head Turning Jag for trainer John Cecchin of Arthur and owner-breeder Robert Pooley of Exeter, ON.

"He is just like his trainer, he will make a real nice horse down the road because of his manners," add Henry, with a chuckle.

Head Turning Jag

A total of 20 top point earners from the six regular season events will return to Mohawk Racetrack on Sept. 15 for two Semi-finals, and the top five finishers from each Semi-final will earn a berth in the $50,000 Grassroots Championship at the Campbellville oval on Sept. 24.

The two-year-old trotting fillies wrap up their Grassroots regular season at Mohawk on Tuesday night, competing in Races 1, 2 and 8. The fillies get things under way at 7:30 pm.

Ontario Racing