Woodbine Mohawk Park: A pair of horses defend their OSS Grassroots titles

Woodbine Mohawk Park showcased Ontario's top Grassroots competitors on Saturday night, and the division stars were shining bright as six of the eight C$75,000 championships were captured by favorites, including defending champions Lovedbythemasses and Mayhem Hanover.

In the 3-year-old trotting colt and gelding showdown, Lovedbythemasses and driver Mike Saftic took control heading for the half and never needed to look back, sailing home to a 1 1/2 length victory in 1:53 4/5. Semi-Final winner Ripped And Ready was second, and division point leader Mikey Mass trotted into third.

"He was real good last week, and he was good today, good and strong. He's probably at the top of his game right now," said Saftic. "All night long they were coming off-the-pace, the front-end wasn't holding very good, but I kind of landed about the four-hole and coming up the backside I didn't want to let them get too cheap of a half and be first-over, so I brushed to the front. He was good."

Saftic steers Lovedbythemasses for trainer Ed Peconi and his co-owners Nicholas Peconi and Wade Peconi. The win was the Muscle Mass gelding's fourth in Grassroots action this season and the ninth of his career.

One race later, 3-year-old pacing colt Mayhem Hanover defended his Grassroots title, sprinting home off a first-over trip to deliver a commanding 2 1/2 length win in a personal-best 1:50. Bettorbuckleup, who caught Mayhem Hanover in the Semi-Final, finished second, and Poseidon Seelster was third.

"He raced great tonight. He couldn't have raced any better," said driver Doug McNair. "Last week, it's kind of my own fault, I started him up real early, and he just got picked off late. He should have never got beat last week, I didn't think. The drive didn't look much better tonight, but he just kind of idled his way up to the lead. I didn't make him pace as fast as he can until the top of the stretch, and he paced right to the wire."

Gregg McNair trains Mayhem Hanover for Scott and Clay Horner, who also watched the Sportswriter son try his hand against the Gold and Grand Circuit horses this summer before returning to the Grassroots program.

Division point leaders Four Wheelin and Profound Paragon also capped off their impressive Grassroots seasons with a championship title.

Two-year-old trotting colt Four Wheelin kicked off the evening with a two length score in a personal-best 1:56 4/5. With Louis-Philippe Roy at the lines, the Wheeling N Dealin son got away fourth as Lifelong Wish sprinted out to a 27 2/5 quarter and then swept to the lead heading for the 57 3/5 half. The favorite did not face a challenge through the 1:26 2/5 three-quarters and pulled away to the victory over Warrawee Windsor and Tymal Chrome.

"I expected it to be a two-horse race pretty much," said Roy, who was concerned about the other Semi-Final winner, Highland Mowgli and driver Bob McClure. "At first I wasn't really happy because the horse I had to beat was sitting on my back, but when (Mike) Saftic (with Lifelong Wish) slowed, I was able to re-move and get mine in a better position and get Bob's horse in a bad position. The last three starts I never used him. He did it all by himself and was never tired, so I knew he had a little more left in the tank."

Saturday's win was Four Wheelin's fifth in five Grassroots starts. Trainer Marcel Barrieau and Gestion Mastel Inc. share ownership of the talented youngster, who boosted his career earnings to C$101,002.

Like many of her peers, 3-year-old trotting filly Profound Paragon used a come-from-behind trip to score her fifth Grassroots win, and her 12th of the season, in 1:55 4/5. Sonadora Deo finished one length behind the favorite, and Chelseas Magic was third.

"She's been amazing," said trainer Julie Walker. "There's not too many horses that win that many races, when you consider the overnights and Grassroots, and at every race track in Ontario, so it's been fun."

Walker shares ownership of Profound Paragon with breeder Steven Titus and Jean Bernard "Bert" Renaud has driven the Muscle Mass daughter through her successful sophomore season.

Second Bruiser capped off a perfect Grassroots season with a championship title in the 2-year-old pacing colt and gelding showdown. The Believeinbruiser son and driver James MacDonald took command heading for the half and never faced a serious challenge, cruising home 1 1/4 length winners in 1:51 4/5. Proline finished second, and Semi-Final winner Take Control was third.

"It was awesome," said trainer Vernon Cochrane. "I was a little bit worried about the front-end. He'd never got to the front that early before, and he's always trained better off a helmet. He likes to chase them home, but a good horse can do it any way, right."

Cochrane shares ownership of Second Bruiser with breeder Stefan Piekos. The gelding made four appearances in the Grassroots program, two regular season legs, the Semi-Final, and final, and won all three in identical clockings of 1:51 4/5.

Race favorite HP Mama B also rewarded her backers in the 2-year-old trotting filly championship. With Sylvain Filion in the bike, HP Mama B powered from sixth to first in the final quarter, trotting under the wire one length ahead of Doing It All and division point leader Top Of The Bar in 1:57 3/5.

"That mare raced good. I am a happy man. When they win it's always nice," said trainer Ben Baillargeon, who also bred the filly. "I got rid of the broodmare, and I even sold half of that one when she was a year old. I gave the rest of it to my wife, so she's happy. I haven't seen a dime of what that mare made so far. I don't think I'll see a penny out of that, but that's okay, my wife will put it to good use probably."

Baillargeon's wife Guylaine Picard shares ownership of HP Mama B with Celine Paquin. The win boosted the Royalty For Life daughter's career earnings to C$76,087.

Roy was back in the winner's circle after the 3-year-old pacing filly showdown, guiding Mia Culpa to victory from post ten. The Shadow Play daughter sprinted home to a three-quarter length victory in a personal-best 1:51 4/5. Semi-Final winner Lyons Tilt Hanover, and Free Flyin Ticket also closed hard to be second and third.

"Jean Tourigny did a good job making her peak at the right time. She's as good now as she was two months ago. She's not tired, and I was really happy with the trip I got with her," said Roy. "I raced her a few times on the front, but she's not really that type of horse."

Jean Tourigny trains Mia Culpa for Roland Trudel, Michel Damphousse, and Guy Lavoie. The win was the filly's fifth of the season and just her second in Ontario Sires Stakes action.

Jonathan Drury and 2-year-old pacing filly Cyclone Sister opted to follow in the footsteps of the fillies that preceded them, getting away sixth from post one and advancing toward pace-setter Ourlittlemiracle through fractions of 28 2/5, 57 1/5, and 1:24 4/5. Rolling out three-wide at the three-quarters, Cyclone Sister kicked home to a 1 1/2 length win in a personal-best 1:53 2/5. Race favorite Chiefs Dream Girl was second, and Semi-Final winner Amini was third.

"She raced great. Jonathan gave her a perfect trip. The first four or five starts she always kicked home really well, and I was kind of hoping she could have that kick one more start and she did," said owner/breeder George Millar. "I'm thrilled. I was just saying to my wife (Sondra), we were so close to selling the mare in foal with Cyclone Sister, I'm kind of glad there was no buyers and I ended up keeping her."

Nick Gallucci trains Cyclone Sister, who started her career with two wins at the Grassroots level and then took two runs at the Gold Series fillies before returning to the Grassroots program. Saturday's boosted the Shadow Play daughter's earnings to C$99,682.

--press release (Ontario Sires Stakes)--