Mutineer Fillies Double Up In Grassroots
Seven divisions of the OSS Grassroots for three-year-old trotting fillies went postward at Western Fair Raceway on Tuesday, and daughters of Mutineer prevailed in two of the $24,000 tilts.
Mutinys Child gave her Winbak Farm-based stallion his first winner of the day thanks to her down-the-road performance in Race 1. The filly, out of the mare Armbro Diana, sliced out splits of :30, 1:00.3 and 1:30 for driver Doug Brown before finishing off her foes with a :30-second final quarter. Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, Mutinys Child drew off to win by 4-1/2 lengths over Ashlake, with L H Fillybuster taking home third prize.
Frank O’Reilly trains the four-time winner, who has put together a 2-1-1 record from her first five starts of the season, for the partnership of Dan Drysdale of Hillsburgh and Larry and Jackie Drysdale of Orangeville, ON. The homebred has put in excess of $18,000 on her card this season and more than $33,000 to date.
Lady Is A Pirate romped to a five-length triumph in her assignment, and she did so in an impressive clocking of 2:01.4 for driver Trevor Ritchie. The filly, out of the mare Self Secure, got away fifth before advancing to be third on the outside as the field passed the mid-way point. She took command before the three-quarter pole in 1:31.1 and then cruised home in :30.3 to easily defeat Out Of The Kitchen and Wild Logic.
Trainer Doug McIntosh co-owns the photogenic performer with Henry Svec of Blenheim, ON. Together, they’ve watched her go 4-0-1 in her first seven starts of the season after assembling a 2-1-0 record from her four-start rookie campaign. Her bankroll is just shy of $30,000.
Defy Time was treated to a ground-saving trip by driver Robert Shepherd, and she took advantage of the situation by rallying to a 2-1/4 lengths score over Honey Thorn in a time of 2:01.1. Motown Mellow rounded out the top three.
The daughter of Southfork-Cinnabar Hanover, who hangs her harness bag in the barn of trainer Ian Downey, didn’t disappoint an army of backers which hammered her down to be the 1-5 favourite. Susan Downey of St. George Brant and Scott Maracle of Brantford, ON share ownership on the productive performer who has put together a 7-2-0 record from nine starts this season after being unraced as a rookie. She’s scheduled to return to Western Fair Raceway on Friday evening, where she’ll start from Post 8 in the $55,800 final of the City Of London Trotting Series.
Magic Wheel, who was last seen at Western Fair Raceway last November winning the $100,000 OSS Grassroots Final for two-year-old trotting fillies, returned to London’s half-miler and romped to a front-stepping, 7-3/4 lengths tally in her $24,000 division.
Driven by Karen Hudon, who co-owns the daughter of Kadabra-WS Balanced Wheel with the filly’s breeder, Margaret Payne of St. Augustine, FL, Magic Wheel improved her lifetime record to five wins in 10 starts for trainer Joe Hudon. The productive performer has now stashed away $115,880 in career earnings.
Here Comes Jenny needed 10 starts to chalk up two wins in her freshman season, but she’s already a two-time winner this year after just two trips behind the starting gate. She led the field through fractions of :30.2, 1:03.2 and 1:33.1 in her assignment before sprinting home in :29.4 en route to the 5-1/2 lengths triumph over Whitney Fields in 2:03. The show dough was doled out to Cedars Chip.
Trevor Henry worked out the winning trip for the Allen Tomlinson-trained daughter of Here Comes Herbie-Jenny Rova. The homebred, who has an overall cash stash of $44,704, is owned by Tomlinson and partners Duane and Janice Chippi of Cass City, Michigan.
Mystic Allure was parked every step of the mile in her division, but she weathered the storm for driver Steve Byron and prevailed by a half-length margin over Zorgwijk Lunar in a time of 2:02.1. Third prize was earned by Miu Miu Bi.
The Pat Hunt-trained daughter of Angus Hall-Aimees Image, who was sent off as the even-money choice, improved her 2011 record to 3-0-3 in nine starts with the score. The homebred winner of $30,170, who was unraced as a rookie, is owned by Glengate Farms of Campbellville, Ontario.
The quickest winner in the OSS Grassroots splits was Harlow Seelster, who went wire-to-wire in a time of 2:00.4 for the tandem of driver Jason Brewer and trainer Kevin O’Reilly. The daughter of Ken Warkentin-Hollywood Beauty led the field through fractions of :29, :59.3 and 1:30.3 before sailing home in :30.1 to post the 2-1/2 lengths triumph over Althea M. Ally Oop took home the bronze medal in the eight-filly affair.
Aristi Varsakis of Hamilton, ON holds the ownership papers on the maiden-breaking winner, who has banked $33,825 in the first 10 starts of her career.