Trio of Peterborough trotters win big at Woodbine Mohawk Park
Come-from-behind wins impress at Sires States Grassroots semifinals
A trio of Peterborough-area two-year-old trotters delivered impressive victories in their $20,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Semifinals at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday night.
In the second, trotting colt semifinal division point leader Lovedbythemasses was sent off the heavy favourite by fans and the Muscle Mass gelding did not disappoint. Starting from Post 6 with regular reinsman Mike Saftic in the race bike, Lovedbythemasses got away fifth and then shifted into the outer lane where he moved closer to pacesetter Magic Bob with every step. Lovedbythemasses got a head in front of Magic Bob around the final turn and then drew away from his peers in the stretch to a five and one-half length victory in a personal best 1:56.
“He’s got really good manners and he’s really nice to drive, so just get him out of there clean and give him a chance and that’s what happened tonight,” said Saftic of Campbellville. “He just sat outside that horse (pacesetter Magic Bob) and trotted home strong.”
Saftic drives the Muscle Mass son, now a four-time winner, for trainer Edward Peconi of Peterborough and his co-owners Nicholas Peconi of Lakefield and Wade Peconi of Stanchel, P.E.I., who also bred the horse.
Lovedbythemasses was undefeated in three regular season Grassroots starts and finished second and third in his other two outings, racing against Gold level horses in conditioned events at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Looking ahead to the Oct. 5 Grassroots Championship Saftic said he would be happy to see the colt draw a similar post and trip.
“You know what, somewhere right behind the gate like he was tonight would be perfect. You can kind of watch who’s leaving and who’s not, and you can kind of pick your strategy from the first turn on,” he said. “You’re always a little scared when there’s too much traffic in front of you. If they start making breaks in that turn on you, you might get interfered with, so yeah, middle of the gate would be fine with me.”
In the second two-year-old trotting filly semifinal fan favourite Zebs Flur experienced exactly what Saftic was referring to when Peppas Angel and Craving You made breaks directly in front of her and to her immediate right. The Muscle Mass filly and driver Stephen Byron maintained their composure, caught up with early leader Warrawee Vulcan, and powered down the stretch to a one length victory in 1:57.4.
“With that first turn, when horses are running in front of her and beside her, if she was going to self-destruct that would have been the time,” said trainer John Bax. “She wants to race; she wants to win now, so that’s all good.”
Bax, a Peterborough native now in Campbellville, Don Allensen of Wyoming and Goin To The Show Stable of Peterborough share ownership of the Muscle Mass filly, who has now won her last three starts.
Bax also qualified Need An Alibi for the two-year-old trotting filly championship.
In the first, two-year-old trotting colt showdown Awesomedabra came from the seventh spot to win in a personal best 1:57.3. Awesomedabra is owned by Port Perry’s Gary Lance and Fenelon Falls’ Keith Mullins.