Grand River: Jamiesons join forces for another Battle of Waterloo trophy

Trainer Carl Jamieson won his sixth Battle of Waterloo title on Monday afternoon at Grand River Raceway, teaming up with son Jody for a 1:54 victory in the C$239,000 contest for 2-year-old Ontario-sired male pacers with 7-1 shot Sports Obsession.

Starting from post five, Sports Obsession got away in the fifth position while pole sitter Wind Blown (J. Harris) and post two starter Bettorbuckleup (Louis-Philippe Roy) threw down in a wicked 26 2/5 first quarter. Wind Blown got his point across past that marker and Bettorbuckleup backed off, though still parked as Aneto (Bob McClure) filled the pocket from the trailing post nine.

Wind Blown would go on to get to the half in 54 2/5, and just past that marker the parked-out Bettorbuckleup wound up hooking wheels with Beach Blanket Book (James MacDonald), who was sitting on the cones in the three-hole. That incident eliminated both horses from contention and also allowed Sports Obsession and Jody Jamieson to improve position into third as he got around the mishap without issue.

After he got around the two-horse fracas, Jamieson sent Sports Obsession to the outside first-over, and he was able to forge his way by a spent Wind Blown past the 1:24 1/5 three-quarters. With nobody from the back-field showing a closing kick, it was all Sports Obsession after he cleared as he went on to prevail by 3 1/4 lengths. Wind Blown wound up second, with Aneto third, Better B Swift (Sylvain Filion) fourth, and Mr Cheeseman (Trevor Henry) fifth.

"I actually had visions of crossing right over to the lead, but there were a couple of other guys had other visions of that. That's half-mile racing," said Jody Jamieson. "I had to take back, and once I got him back in gear again, then I noticed them hooked up. I knew I had the inside lane, the safety lane, so that's where I headed, and I think that was really the race right there. If I had to do too much more work, I'm not sure how much better he would have been 'cause he was pretty tuckered out when he hit the wire.

"I was pretty sure we'd win past three-quarters unless someone was live behind me, but I was pretty sure if I could get down to the rail that it was over."

Sports Obsession, a Sportswriter colt, is trained by Carl Jamieson, who also co-owns with George Harrison. Sports Obsession, who was bred by 30 Plus Stable and brought $70,000 at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, is now a two-time winner from five attempts, and he has pocketed C$134,240. He is the first foal out of the Bettor's Delight mare Hayworth Blue Chip (1:51 4/5, $311,701) and paid $17.30 to win.

"It's a tough race to win anymore. I used to win it every second year, now I finally got the job done again," remarked Carl Jamieson. "Winning this was nice because I'm getting on the way out and not the way in.

"I told everybody he had a good shot, just needed a little bit of luck."