Milton, ON — Drivers Doug McNair and Bob McClure split the three-year-old pacing colt Grassroots divisions down the middle on Saturday night (Aug. 17) at Woodbine Mohawk Park, McNair taking the first two and McClure the second pair.

McNair kicked things off in the first C$23,500 split with Fast N First and had the heavy favorite on top before the halfway marker. Fast N First never saw another challenger as he cruised home a one and one-quarter length winner in 1:51.2. Pocket-sitter Carlisimo finished second and HP Napoleon was third.

“He was a little lazy in the lead,” said McNair of Blake MacIntosh trainee Fast N First. “But it takes a lot to get him tired.”

It was the first Grassroots win for Fast N First, who started his sophomore campaign at the Gold Series level. In 15 starts this season the Bettors Delight son has tallied six wins, three seconds and two thirds, netting owners Blake MacIntosh of St. George, Ridgeway Racing of Ridgeway and Steve Heimbecker of Conestogo, ON $87,334.

Guelph resident McNair also guided Cliffhanger to his first Grassroots victory in the second division. Like Fast N First the pair were sent off as the favorites from Post 4, but this time McNair opted to follow pacesetter Priceless Beach through fractions of :27.2, :55.2 and 1:24.2. Cliffhanger then unleashed a :26.4 final quarter to catch the leader and pull away to a two-length victory in 1:51.2. Machdavid also closed hard, and he and Priceless Beach finished in a dead heat for second.

“Cliffhanger raced good,” said McNair, who subbed for regular reinsman Louis-Philippe Roy on Saturday. “He is turning into a nice colt.”

McNair engineered the win for owner and trainer Tony Alagna of Manalapan, NJ. The win was the fourth of the sophomore campaign for Vintage Master son Cliffhanger and boosted his season earnings to $50,402.

McClure picked up where McNair left off in the third Grassroots division, employing a come-from-behind effort to put Carsons Shadow in the Ontario Sires Stakes winner’s circle for the first time. The pair caught favorite Sugartown in the stretch with a determined effort that saw them stop the clock at 1:51.2. Sugartown was one-half length back in second, just ahead of third-place finisher Better Moonon Over.

“He’s a nice little colt. He’s not big, but he’s quick, and he’s a tough little bugger,” said McClure of the Shadow Play colt.

Like both Fast N First and Cliffhanger, Carsons Shadow tested the Gold Series waters before finding success in the Grassroots. In 14 sophomore starts the gelding has amassed a record of six wins, two seconds and earnings of C$62,200. Vicki Gregg trains Carsons Shadow for owner-breeder David Carson of Listowel, ON.

One race later Rockwood resident McClure was back in the winner’s circle with fan favorite Dreamfair Moxy, who stalked pacesetter Sportsline through fractions of :26.2, :55.4 and 1:23.3 before circling around the tiring leader in the stretch. Dreamfair Moxy sprinted home to a three and one-quarter length victory in a personal best 1:51.1. The Regulator and Silver Beast finished second and third.

“He is a real nice little colt with a nice gait and he’s sweet to drive,” said McClure, who was in the race bike in place of regular reinsman Travis Cullen. “He always goes ahead when you ask him.”

The win was Dreamfair Moxy’s second straight in Grassroots action. The Bettors Delight son was also a winner in the third leg at Grand River Raceway on Aug. 5. Jodie Cullen trains the winner of C$77,322 for John Lamers of Ingersoll, ON.

The three-year-old pacing colts will make their last regular season Grassroots start at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Sept. 2. The top 20 point earners will then compete in the Sept. 28 Grassroots Semi-Finals, hoping to land one of 10 spots in the Oct. 5 Grassroots Championship.

Complete results from Saturday’s program are available here.

Ontario Sires Stakes action continues at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Monday, Aug. 19 with a trio of Grassroots divisions for the three-year-old trotting colts. The colts will raise the curtain on the program at 7:10 p.m. in Race 1 and will also battle in Races 3 and 7.