Harness racing sons of Mcwicked took down three of the five Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions in leg three action for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Friday (Aug. 18).
Wicked Prince (J. Bradley Harris) kicked off the card in a wire-to-wire effort to break his maiden in 1:56.1. He was two lengths clear of Southwind Circuit (Jason Ryan) at the line. Surfrider (Tyler Borth) finished third. The winner was winless in four prior starts for trainer Murray Brethour and owner Hutt Racing Stable. The colt has earned $14,552.
WICKED PRINCE REPLAY
D A Mcdreamy (Jonathan Drury) doubled the tally for the Mcwicked-breds in the fourth split. He struck the front nearing the half and controlled the race from there, scoring in 1:56.4 by two-and-three-quarter lengths. Your Party (Martin Lachance) was second with Harborlite Ambrose (Austin Sorrie) third. D A Mcdreamy has now won two races – both in the Grassroots – in four starts with $25,112 in earnings. Shawn Steacy trains the colt, who was a $30,000 London Classic sale purchase. Katherine Steacy, Landmark 16 Racing Stable, Theodore Davis, and Angela Haskell own the colt.
D A MCDREAMY REPLAY
Like A Glove (Tyler Moore) circled the field in the last division, rallying three-wide from sixth entering the last quarter and rolling a length-and-three-quarter lengths clear for a 12-1 upset. The Sports Desk (Ryan) toughed out a first-over trip and finished gamely for second. Sports Activator (Scott Young) was third. Like A Glove, trained by Dr. Ian Moore, was making his Ontario debut after starting at Truro Raceway. He was a convincing winner in his second – and last – start on the east coast, and owner Wayne Eric Whebby shipped him to Ontario in August. The colt is now two-for-three lifetime and has $11,730 in the bank.
LIKE A GLOVE REPLAY
The other two divisions went to offspring of Bettors Delight.
Unrivaled Delight (Drury) romped in the second group by four-and-three-quarter lengths in 1:56.1 for his first career victory. The Shawn Steacy-trained colt is now one-for-four with $22,000 earned for Landmark 16 Racing Stable, Hudson Standardbred Stable, David Reid, and Bertrand Gilhespy.
UNRIVALED DELIGHT REPLAY
Sinatra Hanover (Borth) snagged the third division by a length in 1:57.1 for trainer Tony Beaton. The gelding, a $100,000 Harrisburg purchase, has won one of her four starts and made $22,781 for West Wins Stable, Mark Dumain, and John Fielding.
SINATRA HANOVER REPLAY
The two-year-old pacing colts and geldings will resume their Grassroots campaign with leg four on Aug. 28 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. D A Mcdreamy and Sports Activator are tied for the lead of the division.
It was also Harness The Hope night at Grand River Raceway. More than $12,500 was raised on the day for the charity which focuses on cancer research.
Grand River Raceway will resume racing on Monday, Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m. EDT.
For complete race results, click here.
by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink