from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — Four $16,380 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots tests for 3-year-old pacing fillies were held on Monday night (Aug. 25) at Mohawk Racetrack and Dana Dearest remained hot as she picked up her third consecutive Grassroots victory.

Driven by Chris Christoforou, it looked like Dana Dearest was up against it inside the final sixteenth as Mea Lilley Mark (Mike Saftic) had cleared to the lead out of the pocket and opened up a clear advantage. However, Dana Dearest kicked it into another gear nearing the finish line, and she would get up to win by a head over Mea Lilley Mark in 1:52.1. Double Joy (Mario Baillargeon) finished third.

Dana Dearest, a daughter of Jereme’s Jet-Bunny Dearest, is trained by Casie Coleman for owner/breeder Charalambos Christoforou. Dana Dearest was winless in four starts last year, but she’s turned it around in her sophomore campaign, going seven-for-13. She has season’s earnings of $57,795 and a career bankroll of $61,896.

Division points leader Her Own Land (James MacDonald) was also gunning for her third straight Grassroots triumph in the night’s third division, but she fell short. Her Own Land was in the lead through fractions of :27, :55, and 1:23.4, but in deep stretch Born To Dream (Doug McNair) forged her way by after a pocket trip, and it would be Born To Dream who won by a length a career-best 1:51.3. Her Own Land had to settle for second on this night and Shadows Wonder (Christoforou) bagged third.

A winner in Grassroots competition on Aug. 3 at Clinton Raceway, Born To Dream now has three total victories this season and four career triumphs. The daughter of Camluck-Happy Dreamer, trained by Tony O’Sullivan for owner/breeder Lomangino Standardbreds, has banked $36,769 on the campaign and $46,125 lifetime.

Monday night’s other two winners posted their first wins in Grassroots action this year. In the opener Artful Impulse (Randy Waples) took the lead past the :27.2 opening quarter and didn’t look back en route to a 1:52.3 score, and in the nightcap Regil Meg (Anthony MacDonald) worked out a three-hole trip and then paced by the leaders in the lane to prevail in 1:53.

Artful Impulse is trained by Bob McIntosh, whose stable bred and now co-owns the daughter of Artistic Fella-Art Debut with partners Dwight Stacey and James Walker. This was win number three from 16 starts this year for Artful Impulse, and it was her fourth career victory. She has put away $67,587 in 2014 and $86,589 in her life.

Carmen Auciello trains Regil Meg, another filly by Artistic Fella-Theoras Path, for owners Denarben Stables and Rocco Auciello. She now has a pair of triumphs from 15 attempts in 2014, and this was the third win of her career. She has pocketed $24,166 this season and $97,372 lifetime.

The next Grassroots event for sophomore pacing fillies will be held on Sept. 10 at Grand River Raceway. For full results and charts of Monday night’s action at Mohawk, please click this link.