by Sandra Snyder, for the Ontario Sire Stakes

Campbellville, ON — Division leaders Champagne Phil and Panongahela will be looking to maintain their perfect Grassroots records with a second victory over the Mohawk Racetrack oval on Friday (Aug. 9).

Champagne Phil is conditioned by Kenneth Oliver for ICR Racing and Dave Menary trains Panongahela for Peter Pan Stables Inc. The duo landed the top spot in the 3-year-old pacing colt division standings by sweeping their respective Grassroots divisions at Mohawk Racetrack on June 21 and Georgian Downs on July 27.

On Friday the leaders will line up at post one in the 11th race and post nine in the eighth race, with Panongahela facing the bigger test in race eight.

Among the horses hoping to bring Panongahela’s Grassroots win streak to a halt is Stonebridge Adam, who currently sits third in the point standings. The Gary Kingshott trainee will benefit from post one in the C$18,000 contest and will be reunited with Chris Christoforou, who engineered the colt’s victory in the Grassroots season opener at Mohawk Racetrack on June 21.

Kingshott shares ownership of Stonebridge Adam with Shannon Bennett, Gregory Kingshott and Terence Molony. Through 14 starts this season the Stonebridge Regal colt has tallied five wins and one third.

Also hoping to unseat Panongahela in the eighth race are two colts tied for sixth spot in the standings. Chosen Hombre will make his bid from post seven for trainer Brian Collins and owner Brian Stephen Scott, while Dull Roar starts from post eight for trainer Jeff Gillis and his partners Ken Henwood, Mac Nichol and Gerald Stay.

The 3-year-old pacing colts will strut their stuff in races two, four, eight, nine and 11 on Friday evening’s program, which also features the C$43,100 Girls Night Out Pacing Series final in race five. Mohawk Racetrack sends its first race into the starter’s hands at 7:25 p.m.

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