from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — In Monday night’s (July 14) Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series action for 2-year-old trotting fillies at Mohawk Racetrack, favorites ruled the day as they went four-for-four, but that was not the case in Tuesday night’s (July 15) Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series action for the same group at the same venue as the public’s choice was defeated in all five $16,740 tests.

Second Sister (Doug McNair) made a successful pari-mutuel debut in the first Grassroots division, rallying from fifth at three-quarters to prevail by 3-3/4 lengths in 2:00.3. Winem (Paul MacDonell) also flashed good trot through the stretch to sweep from seventh to second and Judy The Beauty (Trevor Henry) was third.

Gregg McNair trains Second Sister, a filly by Deweycheatumnhowe-Sister Sammy, for owner Jarold Hawks. Bred by Diamond Creek Farm LLC, Second Sister was purchased for $32,000 at the 2013 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. She’s the seventh foal out of the Yankee Glide mare Sister Sammy, and Second Sister is a half-sister to the likes of $210,702 earner Unshakeable.

In the second Grassroots event it was Champagne Taste and driver Jack Moiseyev who emerged victorious. Moiseyev guided Champagne Taste from fourth to first in the third quarter-mile and she held on through the lane to win by three-quarters of a length in 2:01.3. Mass Rail (Trevor Henry) was the runner-up and Its A Hotty (Garrett Whelan) checked in third.

A daughter of Striking Sahbra-CR Mimosa, Champagne Taste hails from the barn of trainer Richard Johnson, and Vito Cucci owns the Winbak Farm-bred filly. Out of the CR Commando mare CR Mimosa, Champagne Taste went under the hammer for $24,000 at last year’s Standardbred Horse Sale. She is a half-sister to a pair of six-figure winners in Windshield ($302,674) and Js Trotting Bob ($178,388).

It appeared Were Just Sayin (Steve Condren) was on her way to a facile victory in the third Grassroots dash, but then she broke stride inside the final eighth of the mile, dropping the win into the lap of Summers Jewel and driver Mario Baillargeon in a final clocking of 2:00.3. Were Just Sayin went under the finish line in second, but she would be placed back to third for being lapped on by Sylvia Van Hall (Dennis Duford) while still on the gallop at the wire.

Ben Baillargeon owns and trains Summers Jewel, an Angus Hall-Winters Jewel filly, and Ben Baillargeon also bred the filly with C Tremblay Holding Inc. Summers Jewel broke her maiden at first asking after a pair of qualifiers over the seven-eighths-mile Mohawk Racetrack oval. Summers Jewel is the first foal out of the Self Possessed mare Winters Jewel.

The fourth Grassroots flight went to Meganou (Mike Saftic), who rallied from off the pace and split trotters in deep stretch to win by three-parts of a length in 2:02. Superbowl Sunshine (Chris Christoforou) came in second, followed by Flexy Millie (Sylvain Filion).

Daniel Martin conditions Meganou, a Kadabra-Blue See Vita filly, for owner Jean Picard. Gestion Piar Inc. bred Meganou, whose dam is the Balanced Image mare Blue See Vita. It was the first victory in three starts for Meganou, who is a half-sister to $126,144 earner Julius Secret.

Doug McNair brought home another Grassroots winner in the final tilt, steering Bistrobistro Taj to a 2:00.3 victory after a first-over trip. Railee Priti (Paul MacDonell) was the original second-place finisher, but she was moved back to tenth after the judges determined she had been inside three consecutive pylons in the first turn. That moved Stay In Touch (Randy Waples) up to second and Tymal Illbthere (Christoforou) was elevated from fourth to third.

Rick Zeron trains Bistrobistro Taj, a filly from the first crop of former Breeders Crown champion Pilgrims Taj, for owner 9215 6447 Quebec Inc. Bistrobistro Taj, who was bred by Gestion Belvidere Inc., was successful in her first start following a lone qualifier. Bistrobistro Taj is the second foal out of the Angus Hall mare Freda Hall.

The next Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series event for 2-year-old trotting fillies will occur on July 22 at Georgian Downs. For full charts and results of these events, click on this link.