Kawartha Downs treated its fans to six divisions of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, and it turned out to be a solid day for first-crop sire Here Comes Herbie, who sired four of the divisional winners.

 
Mister Herbie was the only divisional winner to crack the 2:00 barrier when he toured the oval in 1:59.1 for trainer/driver Carl Jamieson.  The gelded son of Here Comes Herbie-Independent Lassie let at every station en route to tripping the teletimer in 1:59.1.  A late break left runner-up Daylon Magician three-lengths in arrears, with Starlitestarbrite a distant third.

Jamieson, who shares ownership on the gelding with partner Tom Kyron of Toronto, ON, watched the youngster pick up the first win of his career.

Major Herbie gave sire Here Comes Herbie the stakes double thanks to a 2:03.4 triumph in his $24,000 division.  The ridgling, who is out of the mare Independent Dame, sat a pocket trip for most of the mile before finding clearance and using a :30.4 final quarter to notch the victory for trainer/driver Wayne Henry.  Edit was a fast-closing runner-up, and Northern Cato rounded out the top three in the field.

Henry Stable of Arthur and Dan McCann of Parkhill, ON share ownership on the youngster, who is now a two-time winner in just four career assignments.

Bob From Brussels (2:01.1) and Random Holdup (2:03) completed the Grand Slam for first-year sire Here Comes Herbie while the remaining divisions went to the Striking Sahbra colt Mr Joe Sixpack (2:02.1) and the Holy Guacamolie gelding New Favorite (2:02.1).

(courtesy Standardbred Canada)