from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — Two closely related fillies owned by breeder Bob Key, trained by Ron Parsons and driven by Trevor Henry, each captured their respective divisions among the five $16,920 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots tests for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Thursday night (July 10) at Mohawk Racetrack.

Palette Tina was last at the :58.3 half but closed extremely well with a three wide move to win by more than two lengths in 1:55.1 over Fiftyshadesofbay and Lady My Luck in the first and fastest division. It was the first lifetime win in two tries for the chestnut daughter of Allamerican Native-Art Tina owned by breeder Bob Key.

Henry, a two time Lampman Cup winner as the OSS’s Driver of the Year, used different tactics with Missy Tap Tina, also from the Parsons barn, in the fourth division. He sent that Mister Big-Tap Tap Tina lass right to the front where she recorded fractions of :27.3, :58.3 and 1:28 en route to the 1:56.2, three length score in front of Lady Jen and P L Impressive.

It was the second win in as many lifetime starts for Missy Tap Tina whose fourth dam, My Patina is Palette Tina’s second dam.

The final division saw the lead change hands several times through splits of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:27.2 but when it mattered most it belonged to Sassafras Girl (Badlands Hanover-Tug River Della) in 1:56.1 over Chase The Shadows and Katie Snoops. Murray Brethour trains the winner, who was notching her second straight win in as many attempts for Hutt Racing Stable.

The other divisions were taken by Yellow Mustang, a daughter of Sportswriter-Best Tussle driven by Jack Moiseyev for trainer Mike Bishop, in 1:55.2 and Delightful Hill, an Art Colony-Uneek Delight miss driven by Doug McNair to a 1:55.4 score for trainer Ton Alagna.

This was the first Grassroots test of the 2014 season for this group. The next will go on July 20 at Clinton Raceway. To view Thursday night’s full results, please click this link.