Three-year-old pacing filly Sweetest Belle was the fastest Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots winner of the night for trainer Susie Kerwood, defeating division leader Twin Delight to close out the fifth and final leg of their regular season on Friday, Sept. 8 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Grandeur Seelster got the first call leaving from post eight in the evening’s $22,600 final division, with 8-5 favourite Twin Delight chasing her into the first turn and taking over at the :26.3 quarter. Grandeur Seelster quickly retook the top spot and reeled off middle splits of :55.4 and 1:24.4 with Twin Delight hot on her heels, but Sweetest Belle and driver Doug McNair swept up from mid-pack and struck the front at the top of the stretch en route to a 2-3/4-length victory in 1:52 flat. Twin Delight shook loose in the stretch and rallied for second while Mystic Wild Rose tracked the winner’s cover to show.
Dropping a full second off her lifetime mark, Sweetest Belle picked up her third Grassroots win of the season and now has seven victories lifetime with earnings totalling $94,851 from 19 starts for owners Frank Brundle of East Garafraxa, Ont. and Gordon Lyons of Georgetown, Ont. Bred by Joseph Hudon of Port Dover, Ont., the Sportswriter filly is out of multiple Gold winner My Secret Belle and is a full sister to Grand Circuit stakes-placed Sport Secret.
Driven by James MacDonald, 1-9 favourite Century Jamila earned her fourth Grassroots victory of the season, winning an earlier division in 1:53.1 by 1-3/4 lengths over Getting Euchred and Starlight Dancer. Shawn Steacy trains the Bettors Delight-Exotic Pleasure filly, who moved into a tie atop the three-year-old pacing filly standings, for owners K And K Stable and Landmark 15 Racing Stable of Lansdowne, Ont., A K Malik Stable of Ottawa, Ont. and David Reid of Sydenham, Ont.
Stepping up from the Prospect Series, Powder Play pulled off a 12-1 upset winning the other division in a career-best 1:52.1 after 1-2 favourite Elises Delight self-destructed on the lead in the stretch. Jody Jamieson drove the Sportswriter-Laurels Lea filly for trainer Anthony Beaton and owner Robert Woodburn of St. Thomas, Ont. Uncontrolled finished a half-length behind in second with All Of Me competing the top three finish order.
