One favourite found themselves defeated and the other disqualified in a pair of Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday night (July 16).
In the $100,400 first division, 6-5 choice Muscling Vegas had a first-over mountain to climb on tempo-setter Mass Hysteria (pictured above), who stayed resolute on the lead to win in 1:54.3.
Starting from the pylon post, Mass Hysteria secured command as Muscling Vegas took back to race fourth through a :27.2 first quarter. Mass Hysteria, meanwhile, moved uncontested to a :57.3 half, which readied her for Muscling Vegas’s challenge up the backside. The favourite loomed to within a length of the lead by three-quarters in 1:26.1 but levelled off around the final turn while Mass Hysteria spun for home. She rolled to the finish a 2-3/4-length winner over HP Extra Ice, who closed for second, with second-over Believe U Me finishing third.
Kyle Bossence trains and co-owns Mass Hysteria, a daughter of Muscle Mass, with Daniel Culp and William Pendleton. She now has won three races from 11 starts and banked $244,408. Trevor Henry drove the $11.20 winner.
While the favourite had too steep a climb in the first division, Climb The Pole in the $101,300 second division ascended to first following a disqualification of 1-9 favourite Righteous Resolve, who cut the mile and crossed the line first in 1:54.1.
Righteous Resolve cleared command from Climb The Pole past a :27.3 first quarter and coasted through middle fractions of :56.3 and 1:25.2 before turning for home and crossing the beam 1-1/4 lengths in front of Climb The Pole. However, Righteous Resolve veered into the passing lane while on the lead swinging into the stretch, forcing her disqualification from first to second. Baroness Hill took third and Northern Demi finished fourth.
From the placing, Climb The Pole has now won five races from 10 starts and banked $150,518. Carl Jamieson trains and co-owns the daughter of Kadabra with driver Jody Jamieson, Steve Heimbecker and Aaron Byron. She paid $32.60 to win.
A pair of OSS Grassroots divisions also went to gate for sophomore trotting fillies, with odds-on choice Smashin Racquets collecting the $22,600 first split in 1:56. Driver Bob McClure sent the Rob Fellows pupil to the point through a :28 first quarter, slowed to a :58.3 half and endured first-over pressure from Lucy Who through three-quarters in 1:26.4 to then kick clear 3-1/2 lengths and win over pocket-sitter Its Your Choice. Lucy Who settled for third and Stonebridge Icing finished fourth. Awesome Acres Stbreds owns Smashin Racquets, a daughter of Resolve with three wins from 15 starts and $42,751 on her card. She paid $2.80 to win.
McClure came back in the other $22,200 division to win going coast to coast with Northern Charlotte in 1:56.1. The Camilla Christoforou trainee vaulted from post seven to land on the helm to a :29.2 first quarter and strolled from there to a :59.2 half and 1:27.1 three-quarters. She repelled a first-over blitz from 33-1 No Angel Like Me to turn for home and hold 2-3/4 lengths on pocket-sitter Cardio Muscle in second, with Match Meif You Can third and HP Run For Dan fourth. Brad Grant owns the winning daughter of Muscle Mass who now has three wins from 10 starts and $38,760 earned. She paid $12.80 to win.
The undercard feature – a $10,000 Preferred Handicap Pace – went to Dylans Bank in a pillar-to-post effort timed in 1:51. James MacDonald piloted the John MacMillan trainee as he survived a duel for the lead with Vanilla Malted through splits of :26, :54.4 and 1:23. As Vanilla Malted faltered, Dylans Bank accelerated into the stretch to win by 2-3/4 lengths over pocket-sitter Day Delight with Ima Dude third and Tuf Cooper closing for fourth. MacMillan owns the winning six-year-old gelding by Thinking Out Loud who paid $11.40 to win.
To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Rideau Carleton Raceway.