Toronto, ON — Baseball’s midsummer classic is in the rearview mirror, and the Ontario Sires Stakes is approaching its own halfway point with the Gold and Grassroots entering leg three across all ages, sexes and gaits. As the midway point nears, trainer Rob Fellows sits second in the Johnston Cup standings.

“You don’t ever really enjoy it while it’s happening. You worry about the draw every day, who’s driving every day, what the horses are eating, whether they’re sound, and when to give them a break,” said Fellows. “The leaderboard doesn’t mean much at this point, but it is nice to have some early success.”

The Rookwood, Ont., resident has harnessed 28 OSS starters to date, with a record of 6-4-0. His star pupils are a pair of rookies, Write Me A Rose, and Dowedealinandwhy.

Write Me A Rose (Sportswriter) is a Windermere Stable homebred, and the first foal out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Caribbean Rose N. The pacer has two Gold wins, both coming from off the early pace in times of 1:52.4 and 1:53.3.

Dowedealinandwhy has a Gold win and a runner-up. Fellows’ wife Yolanda owns the trotter with Irene Carey. His win saw him charge home in a :27.2 closing panel.

“They’re healthy, they’re sound, they drew well, and they’ve had some luck on their side,” said Fellows. “Later in the season they need to stay healthy and sound, but also improve, because there are horses right now, we don’t know which ones they are, but they will come from behind and get bigger and stronger and better towards the end of the year.”

In addition to his three Gold wins, Fellows has a hat trick at the Grassroots level.

Kipper Whipr Snipr is one of three victorious trotters. The son of Royalty For Life is an Edward Wilson homebred, an owner Fellows has a long-time relationship with. Wilson gave Fellows his start in the horse business in the 1970s, catching horses at the Port Perry Fairgrounds.

“He bred him and raised him and bred the mother. That kind of stuff you really appreciate,” said Fellows. “It’s a great relationship to have because it’s not every year the mare produces a horse that makes it to the races. It’s just a lot of fun to go for the ride with them. It’s like their kids. They watch them foal, be broken, and get to the races. Then to have some stakes success is even better.”

Three-year-old fillies Resolving and Rose Run Xcentric round out his winners from the young season.

Fellows will have the chance to build on his early season success when Rose Run Xcentric steps up to the Gold level Friday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park in a C$156,300 division, and it will be business as usual for the veteran trainer the rest of the way.

“You’re watching other horses in your division to try and figure out who’s there, and then I am always thinking about who’s driving my horse,” said Fellows. “You worry about that every time the draw comes out, and it’s just something that you get used to over many years of doing it.”

Click here to view current Johnston Cup standings.