from the Ontario Sire Stakes

Innisfil, ON — Georgian Downs hosted the Ontario Sires Stakes debut of the 2-year-old trotting fillies on Tuesday evening (July 7) and driver Alfie Carroll piloted three of the novice trotters to Grassroots victories over the rain-soaked oval.

“The trainers had them all ready and they raced super,” said Carroll. “Made my night great, made it easy — it wasn’t really anything I did.”

Carroll kicked things off with a win in the first $14,040 Grassroots division, guiding Ballykeel Rocket to a 2:03.2 score for trainer Richard Moreau and owner-breeder Ballykeel Racing Inc. The Majestic Son-Bullet Dream daughter finished two lengths ahead of pacesetter Shes All Muscle and Darling Diva.

“Richard doesn’t really tell you too much how to drive, he just said don’t get her on the gate too soon, so I just timed her in and she got away decent,” said Carroll of Ballykeel Rocket. “Then I just moved her first up and she trotted on by. She raced good.”

In the second Grassroots division Carroll followed a nearly identical path to the winner’s circle with Bob McIntosh trainee Tough Affair. Getting away third, the reinsman tipped the filly out heading for the three-quarters and Tough Affair pulled away from the field to a 4-1/4 length victory in 2:00.3, an impressive mile over a surface rated two seconds slower than normal. She’s In Gear and Windsongmusclelady finished behind Tough Affair in second and third.

“The trainer said Bob said to say that they were better than their lines showed,” noted Carroll. “So I just basically did the same thing, left comfortably, got away third and was able to move first up, and she raced tough too.”

Hall of Fame horseman McIntosh and C S X Stables bred and own Tough Affair, a Muscle Mass daughter from their $430,997 winning broodmare Armbro Affair.

Carroll completed the driving hat trick in the final Grassroots division behind another McIntosh trainee, Krafty (Kadabra -Exquisitelycrafted). Starting from post one the fan favorites went straight to the front, cruised through fractions of :32, 1:05 and 1:35.4, and hit the wire three-quarters of a length on top in 2:05.3. Pocket-sitter Mariana and a hard-closing Malibu Seelster rounded out the top three.

“They said she’s a Cadillac to drive and she was,” said Carroll of his third winner. “She left good, I got to the front, got decent fractions and she was strong right to the end.”

While Carroll has visited the Grassroots winner’s circle before, he had never captured three events on one night. Coming off a personal best season in 2014 and on track for an even more successful 2015, Carroll is hoping the Ontario Sires Stakes program becomes a regular part of his summer schedule.

“I’ve won a few Grassroots, but never three in one night, so it was a great night for me,” said the 30-year-old. “Bob (McIntosh) was wondering if I could drive some of them for him, kind of commit to some of them, so I said I’d try to do my best. And then there’s a few other trainers, hopefully if I get that one of Moreau’s back I’ll follow it too. Hopefully it keeps rolling.”

The other two Grassroots divisions on the Tuesday evening program went to Jangone and Its All About Sam.

Trainer Riina Rekila piloted Jangone to a front-end victory from post seven in the third division, sailing home 3-3/4 lengths ahead of The Power Of Many and Shezastrikin Loral in 2:03.4. It was the second straight win over the Georgian Downs oval for Jangone and Rekila, who captured a 2-year-old event on June 27.

A daughter of Johnny William and Panderosa F, Jangone is owned by breeder Overseas Farms Ltd.

Its All About Sam closed hard through the last quarter to earn her first victory, reaching the wire three lengths ahead of First Mission and Attitude To Burn in 2:02.3. The Angus Hall-Spring Lane Joanie daughter, a $40,000 acquisition at last fall’s Standardbred Horse Sale, is trained by Scott McEneny for Bradley Grant, Teresa Davidson and Michelle McEneny. James MacDonald engineered the win.

The 2-year-old trotting fillies will make their second Grassroots start on July 22 at Grand River Raceway.

Georgian Downs has a full weekend of Ontario Sires Stakes action on tap beginning Saturday (July 11) with the 2-year-old trotting colt Grassroots season opener and continuing on Sunday (July 12) with the first Gold Series event for the 2-year-old trotting fillies.