MILTON, Ont., Sept. 28, 2024 – It may have taken him a while to put it all together, but Grambling Hall did so with gusto when it mattered most.
Unraced at two, the now-sophomore trotting colt forced his eight more experienced rivals to follow along Saturday night with a dominant win in the $75,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Taking command of the field at the three-eighths, Grambling Hall trotted to his third career win in a new best of 1:54.1 with Louis-Phillippe Roy – his fourth Ontario Sires Stakes victory on the card Saturday. Jack N Abs (Muscle Mass) was the runner-up by a length with Nzuri (Muscle Mass) rounding out the top three.
The son of Muscle Mass paid $8.30 for the win.
Trainer Chantal Mitchell co-owns the colt with the estate of prominent breeder Alan Leavitt, who passed away earlier this year.
“Grambling Hall is a very young horse. He was born June 29 (2021),” said Mitchell. “He was small last year and he had no focus at all. I was fortunate that Mr. Leavitt allowed me to be patient with him. I told him we just have to wait on him. He has a nice gait, he has a nice way of going but he’s just not focused at all. And even coming back this spring, he wouldn’t focus until July and then he figured out, ‘OK I can do this.’ And so here we are.
“It’s unfortunate that Mr. Leavitt is not here to see this win because he was very patient and very passionate about this horse. He told me to do whatever you want to do, just take your time. So, it’s bittersweet to win, because I wish he could have seen him here, tonight. He never did get to see him race or qualify but I know he would have made him proud because he always had faith in him.”
FEATURED PHOTO: Grambling Hall winning the $75,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Final for sophomore trotting colts on Sept. 28, 2024 at Woodbine Mohawk Park (Clive Cohen/New Image Media)
More Top Racing Headlines