One week after making their debut in the Ontario Sires Stakes winner’s circle, two-year-old trotting colts Stonebridge Armour, Tymal Chrome and Arch Hall collected their second provincial victories on Monday as Dresden Raceway hosted a trio of $22,000 Grassroots divisions.
Fan favourite Stonebridge Armour opened the Grassroots action with a gate-to-wire effort from Post 5, cruising home a three and one-half length winner in 2:04.1. Lovin Life Hanover finished second and Showme Some Muscle was third in the $22,800 test.
“The gate was a little bit tricky with him in Sarnia, but I kind of knew him a little more today and he seemed to be a little more mature about it today too. He handled the gate really well and after that it was pretty much just a cake walk from there. I never pulled the plugs or nothing, I just sat on him the whole way,” said driver Tyler Moore, who piloted the colt to his first Grassroots victory at Hiawatha Horse Park on July 25. “It was my 500th win too, so that was nice.”
Campbellville, ON resident Moore drives the Muscle Mass colt for trainer Jacques Dupont’s Les Ecuries D’Orleans Inc. of Repentigny, Gestion C. Levesque 2005 Inc. of St-Hyacinthe, Mario Bourgea of Stanbridge East and Marc Camirand of Montreal, QC. A half-brother to $1.2 million winner Manofmanymissions, Stonebridge Armour was a $45,000 acquisition from last fall’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
With wins in both of his Grassroots starts Stonebridge Armour currently sits third in the freshman trotting colt standings with 100 points.
Tymal Chrome earned his second Grassroots win with a gritty first-over trip, reeling in pacesetter Daylon Midnight and advancing down the stretch to a one length victory in 2:04.4. Doro Sogno tracked fan favourite Tymal Chrome from start to finish to secure the runner-up’s share of the $22,450 purse and Diehard Seelster rounded out the top three.
“He’s been a nice horse all along. He just goes out, he just trots, it’s like he refuses to make a mistake. He just wants to be a nice horse,” said trainer Anthony Beaton. “He did the same thing in Sarnia, he went a big mile there first-up. He just seems like he wants to make you happy and not make mistakes, and that’s great.”
Waterdown resident Beaton trains Tymal Chrome for Larry Menary of Branchton, Michael Guerriero of Brampton, ON and George Harrison of Wanes Walton, England. The partners purchased the Muscle Mass son for $22,000 from last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale. With two wins and one third in Grassroots action, Tymal Chrome currently sits second in the division standings with 112 points.
Division leader Arch Hall delivered his second Grassroots win off a pocket trip behind early pacesetter Insanity, who rang up fractions of :30 and 1:01.2 before being collared by Arch Hall heading by the 1:33 three-quarters. Once he was in command, fan favourite Arch Hall sailed home to a two and three-quarter length win in 2:03.1. Insanity settled for second with Willywin well back in third.
“He just left out and that horse (Insanity) wanted to be on front so he just sat there. Down the backstretch he pulled him and just made sure he got through the turn fine, and then he asked him the top of the lane and he just took off again,” said trainer Blake MacIntosh. “He’s a nice colt and anybody can drive him, he’s pretty childproof right now. For a two-year-old trotting colt he’s really smart.”
St. George, ON resident MacIntosh shares ownership of Arch Hall with Hutt Racing Stable of Malvern, PA. The Archangel colt has been no worse than fourth in four lifetime starts, with his two wins and one second putting him at the top of the Grassroots standings with 125 points.
All three of Monday’s winners are eligible to the Aug. 15 Balanced Image Eliminations at Hanover Raceway. The colts that make the Balanced Image Final on Aug. 22 will miss the fourth Grassroots event, which is slated for Aug. 25 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Dresden Raceway also hosted a pair of $7,000 Prospect Series divisions for the three-year-old trotting colts on Monday.
Los Ballykeelamigo scored his second Prospect Series win with a gate-to-wire effort from Post 5 in the first division. The Amigo Hall son and driver Tyler Borth bested fan favourites The Reins Of Titan and driver Brett MacDonald and local colt Magnitude Ten and driver John Sullivan with the 2:02.4 effort. Cam McKnight trains Los Ballykeelamigo for his Ballykeel Racing Inc. of Tillsonburg, ON.
The second Prospect Series division saw pacesetting Northern Flame hang on for a neck victory over fan favourite Royal Jewels in 2:05.3. Goaltender rounded out the top three. Phil Hudon piloted the Muscle Mass colt to his first Prospect Series win for trainer Jodie Cullen and owner Gestion J Y Blais of Montreal, QC.
The three-year-old trotting colts will make their fourth Prospect Series start at Flamboro Downs on Sept. 6.
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To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Dresden Raceway.