from Ontario Sire Stakes

Toronto, ON — Doug McNair delivered a dominant performance at Clinton Raceway on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 5), capturing two of four Grassroots divisions for the 3-year-old pacing colts and four overnight events.

The reinsman captured race two with older pacing gelding Stronski, race five with older trotting mare Pocket Popper and then made his first appearance in the Grassroots winner’s circle with Pokerface Bluechip.

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Doug McNair won six of the 10 races on the card at Clinton Raceway.

“He dug pretty tough to win. It’s tough to win on this track off the pace, especially when you’ve got to go around somebody down the backside,” said McNair. “He raced really good. I wasn’t sure what to expect from him, but he did everything right, good mile too.”

The Guelph, Ontario, resident engineered the win for trainer Jacques Dupont and owners Les Ecuries Dorleans Inc. of Repentigny, Gestion Jam Audet Inc. of Portneuf, Paul Lehoux of Sainte-Marie and Gestion C Levesque 2005inc of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. The mile was a new personal best for Pokerface Bluechip.

McNair then captured the seventh race, the Ross Jewitt Memorial Pace, with older pacing mare Queenofhearts and capped off his day with back-to-back victories in race nine, with sophomore pacing colt Dashmira, and race 10, with Grassroots competitor Montys Play.

“He kind of got lucky you know, he drew into the right division where they didn’t go 1:55,” admitted McNair. “But he’s a nice gaited little guy, he snapped off the gate good today. He won pretty handy, so I was happy with him.”

The driver’s father, Gregg McNair, trains Montys Play for Wayne MacRae of Fall River, Nova Scotia, Bloomingwood Farms Ltd. of Harriston, Ontario and Gilles Barrieau of Saint John, New Brunswick.

In addition to his victories, McNair also finished second in the other two Grassroots divisions and second in one overnight event. In 10 drives his only off-the-board finish was a fourth.

“I figured I had a couple of nice ones when I got here, but things have got to go right to win that many races,” said the driver. “There was probably a lot of luck on my side today, especially, one caught a shoe at the three-quarter pole, I think it was my fifth win, and near went on his head and then come back pacing and won the race. You know you’re lucky when that’s happening.”

The driver also credited some of his success on the ‘Huron Perth Lakers Day at the Races’ program to the Clinton Raceway track maintenance staff.

“Everything was pretty smooth up here today,” said the 28-year-old. “They always get the track good up here, that’s one thing about the guys, the surface is great.”