from the Ontario Sire Stakes

Campbellville, ON — Trainer Dave Menary and driver Jody Jamieson teamed up for a pair of Ontario Sire Stakes Grassroots victories at Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday evening (July 9).

Menary had starters in four of the eight freshman pacing filly divisions, with Jamieson behind all four, and the pair reached the winner’s circle on their second attempt.

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Jody Jamieson steered No Shadows to a 1:55.1 Grassroots victory at Mohawk.

Starting from post four, No Shadows and Jamieson took early command of the race and cruised through fractions of :27.2, :59 and 1:28.1 on their way to a 2-1/4 length victory in 1:55.1. Bohemian Delight and Selling The Dream closed hard, but were unable to reel in the pacesetter, settling for second and third.

“She’s a real handy filly. She was able to steal a good half tonight, but when Jody asked her to pace at the top of the stretch, she just paced away,” said Menary of the Shadow Play-Ocracoke Sun daughter. “She’s done everything we’ve asked her so far. I don’t know how much is there, but I hope everything keeps heading in the right direction.”

Menary conditions No Shadows for owner-breeder L A Express Stable LLC.

The trainer and driver met in the winner’s circle for the second time following the sixth $14,220 division. Jamieson eased Heavenly Hill away from post three and settled into fifth through the :27.2 opening quarter, then was able to tip out behind fan favorite Vera Bon heading for the :57.2 half. Sitting fourth at the 1:27 three-quarters, Heavenly Hill was just a length back turning for home and used a :27 final quarter to secure the 1:54.2 victory. Lady Paquet finished 1-1/2 lengths back in second and Vera Bon was three lengths back in third.

“This filly has just been getting better and better, she was a little bit behind a month ago, and probably maybe could have used an extra training on the clock or an extra qualifier,” said Menary. “Aiming for tonight we qualified her a little bit short, but I was real happy with that effort that day (June 27), and extremely happy with that effort tonight.”

The daughter of Art Colony and former Ontario Sires Stakes competitor Look Cheap, Heavenly Hill is owned by breeder Tom Hill.

Menary’s other two starters, Green Light and Vermilion Bird, finished fifth in the first division and seventh in the last split, but the trainer is confident they can improve off their debut performances.

“We need to get them ironed out just a little bit,” he noted. “Green Light paced as fast as some of the other division winners, and I think we haven’t seen the best of her, and Vermilion Bird is another filly who was behind a little bit. Tonight she could have steered a little bit better, but I definitely think there’s more there.

“This is the year I got a plethora of fillies, I’ve got a real harem,” the trainer added. “I don’t have near as many colts; we didn’t start off with as many colts, but the fillies have all really come through. I’ve got nine OSS fillies and I’m pretty excited about the group of them.”

All eight division winners gave their connections something to be excited about, starting with L A Delight, whose 1:54.1 score in the first split was one of the fastest miles of the evening. The Bettor’s Delight-West Of L A daughter and driver Randy Waples controlled the tempo for much of the mile, sailing home three lengths ahead of Buttermilk Hanover and Tempus Seelster.

Hall of Fame horseman Bob McIntosh trains the homebred for his partners Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. and C S X Stables. L A Delight is a half-sister to $607,472 winner Somewhere In L A.

Dancin Inthe Nude, another regally-bred youngster, captured the third Grassroots division for trainer Mark Steacy and owner Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. The Sportswriter-Dancewiththebest daughter and reinsman Clarke Steacy rocketed down the stretch to grab a quarter-length victory over Columnist and favorite Jimmys Little Girl in 1:55.1.

Hudson Standardbred anted up $110,000 to acquire Dancin Inthe Nude — a half-sister to $1.2 million winner Dancin Yankee — from last fall’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

The fourth Grassroots trophy was awarded to Miss Print, who was a comfortable 1-1/4 length winner over favorite Three Dreams and Nic Nac Patty Mach, stopping the Mohawk timer at 1:55. Trevor Henry engineered the Sportswriter-Stonebridge Grace filly’s first win for trainer Shaun McDonald and owner-breeder Glenview Livestock Ltd.

The fifth division featured a nail-biting stretch drive that saw three fillies abreast at the 1:54.4 finish. Icthelight Hanover was awarded the quarter-length victory, but racing officials determined that State Of Joy and Bernadette reached the wire simultaneously and declared a dead heat for second. Sylvain Filion drove Big Jim-Ifyoucouldcwhati C daughter Icthelight Hanover to the win for trainer Luc Blais and owner Determination.

Just a nose separated Tahiti Seelster and runner-up Dixiecrat in the seventh division, timed in 1:55.2, with Bad In Paradise 1-3/4 lengths behind the leaders. Phil Hudon steered Up The Credit-Titania Seelster filly Tahiti Seelster to the win for trainer Pat Hunt and owners Glengate Farms and Malcolm and Robert MacPhail.

The final Grassroots division was captured by Boozer Bruiser, who held on for a half-length victory over Glorious Delight and Miss Babe Delight in 1:54.1. The Believeinbruiser-Cocktail Raider filly was driven to the win by Mike Saftic for trainer Louie Eftimiadis and owner-breeder Gerald Mijal.

The 2-year-old pacing fillies will make their second Grassroots start at Georgian Downs on July 19, while Mohawk Racetrack prepares to host the 2-year-old pacing colts in Grassroots action on Friday and Gold Series action on Saturday. Post time for both programs is 7:25 p.m.