Flamboro Downs looked a little like an exclusive country club on Friday evening as four of the five $24,000 Grassroots divisions went to freshman pacing colts with very impressive pedigrees
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Businessorpleasure was the first of the well bred winners, circling the Dundas oval in 1:58.1 for driver Brad Forward, one quarter length ahead of Royal Artist (Robert Shepherd) and Raging Grin (Joe Hudon, Jr.).
Windsor resident Bob McIntosh trains Businessorpleasure for his partners Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. of Leamington and Dwight Stacey of Mitchell. The group also bred the colt, who is a son of top Ontario sire Camluck and $401,170 winner Artistic Pleasure. Among the pacer’s full siblings are $416,951 winner Artistic Wonder and $1 million winner Please Me Please.
Friday’s victory was the second for Businessorpleasure, who captured an overnight event at Hiawatha Horse Park on July 11 after qualifying twice at Mohawk Racetrack in late June.
The second of the high brow victors was Rock Me Amastreos (Rick Zeron), who sprinted from seventh at the top of the stretch to a two and one-quarter length victory in 2:00.3. Allcanadian Rebel (Anthony Haughan), owned by Percy Elkins of Campbellville, finished second, while Northern All Star was third.
Brad Rae engineered the victory for Rock Me Amastreos on behalf of trainer Murray Brethour and owner-breeder David Snowden of Bowmanville. The colt is the offspring of Astreos and former Ontario Sires Stakes star Queens Arms, who earned $719,434 in her career. Among the colt’s elder siblings is $193,657 winner King Joe.
Milton residents Mario Baillargeon and Ben Wallace teamed up with OK Canada to win the third $24,000 Grassroots division. The son of Royal Mattjesty and Color Me Beachy tripped along on the front end to a 2:00.1 victory, one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Scotian Laddie (Murray Brethour). Fish Semalu (J.R. Plante) was four lengths back in third.
Fan favourite OK Canada was a $35,000 purchase by Wallace and London resident Daniel MacIntyre at last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale, a bargain considering that he is the third foal from $225,880 winner Color Me Beachy, and both of his siblings have earned more than $100,000.
Warrawee Lad logged the quickest mile of the Grassroots splits, halting the teletimer at 1:55.1 for driver Scott Coulter, trainer Bill Robinson and owners Frank Loyens of Denfield and Harry Loyens of Ilderton. Cool And Collected (Brad Forward) and Lazy Ace (Mike Whelan) finished second and third to Warrawee Lad, whose full brother Warrawee Lad has banked $411,034 in his career.
The Loyens’s acquired the son of Million Dollar Cam and Tammy Renee Q for $35,000 from the 2008 Canadian Open Yearling Sale.
The only outsider in Friday’s group of pedigreed Grassroots winners was M G Home Run, who is the third foal from unraced Rustlers Hustler. The Astreos son outhustled Grinandwave and St Lads Dude to earn his Grassroots victory, reaching the wire four and one-quarter lengths on top in 1:57.
Robert Shepherd piloted M G Home Run to the victory for trainer Casie Coleman and owners Ten Most Wanted Stables of North York, who offered up $30,000 for the colt at the Canadian Open Yearling sale last fall.
The two-year-old pacing colts will make the second stop on their 2009 Grassroots tour at Sudbury Downs on Aug. 15. Flamboro Downs fans get their third dose of Ontario Sires Stakes excitement on Sunday, Aug. 9 when the Gold Series freshman pacing colts bring their high speed game to the Dundas half-mile.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.
(OSS)