Grassroots Colts Invade Dresden Monday

DRESDEN, ON — Ontario Sires Stakes excitement roars into Dresden Raceway on Labour Day Monday, Sept. 2 with five Grassroots divisions for the two-year-old pacing colts.

Leading the charge is top point earner Cheeky Fool, featured in the last $18,000 division, who will benefit from Post 1 in his quest for a fourth Grassroots victory. The Western Maverick son races out of the Clifford Hill barn for owner Joshua Wade Jamieson of Hagersville.

A pair of local colts, Regal Babe and Rather Swell, will be on the hunt for their second Grassroots victories on Monday.

Regal Babe scored a 1:55.2 win in the Aug. 24 stop at Kawartha Downs after finishing out of the money in his other two Grassroots starts. Regal Babe will tackle the third race field from Post 3, with Doug McNair in the race bike for trainer Gregg McNair. Bred and owned by Chatham’s Rob Chapple, Monday’s start will be a homecoming for the son of Stonebridge Regal and Nascar Babe.

Unlike Regal Babe, Rather Swell has been the model of consistency through his first three Grassroots starts. The son of Western Maverick and Breathtacular finished second in his June 27 debut at Mohawk Racetrack, won his July 6 start at Georgian Downs with a 1:54.4 mile, and finished second to Regal Babe in the Aug. 24 test. In between the gelding posted two thirds in his elimination and the consolation of the Battle of Waterloo at Grand River Raceway.

Windsor resident Bob McIntosh trains Rather Swell, bred the colt in partnership with Ohio-based C S X Stables and shares ownership of him with Dave Boyle of Bowmanville. Currently ranked fifth in the point standings, Rather Swell will start from Post 4 in Race 7.

Dresden Raceway’s Labour Day Monday program gets under way at 1 pm and features five prize draws for Ontario Sires Stakes apparel in addition to the five Grassroots divisions, slated for Races 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.

For complete entries please go to http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/entries/data/e0902dresn.dat