In wire-to-wire fashion, Beaumond Hanover coasted over a “good” surface to lower the track record for three-year-old pacing colts when winning his $104,800 division of Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) on Sunday (Aug. 16) at Rideau Carleton Raceway.

Beaumond Hanover and driver Jody Jamieson laid down a :27.4 quarter, :55.2 half and 1:23.2 three-quarters on their way to a 1:50.2 clocking, breaking the Rideau Carleton Raceway track record for sophomore pacing colts of 1:50.3 set by Jimmy Freight in 2018. Aneto finished two and three-quarter lengths back in second and Denali Seelster was four more lengths back in third.

In the first Gold split Tattoo Artist and driver Bob McClure cruised through fractions of :27.2, :55 and 1:23.1 on their way to a 1:50.4 victory, two lengths ahead of Beach Blanket Book. Bettorbuckleup was three more lengths back in third.

Sunday’s Gold divisions served as a final North America Cup tune-up for top ranked Tattoo Artist and Beaumond Hanover and both colts looked ready to take on the continent’s best in the Aug. 22 eliminations.

“It’s making for quite a story. I don’t know how those two draw apart from each other all the time,” said Dr. Ian Moore, who trains Tattoo Artist. “But anyway, they are two nice colts. Those are wicked miles both of those two went tonight.”

Yet to face each other in Gold Series competition, Tattoo Artist and Beaumond Hanover are both three-for-three in the provincial program this season. While Beaumond Hanover was the quicker over Rideau Carleton Raceway’s five-eighths mile, which was rated one second slower than normal due to the rain, Tattoo Artist has the edge on the Woodbine Mohawk Park seven-eighths, winning the July 4 Gold Series opener in 1:48.2.

Cambridge, ON resident Moore conditions Tattoo Artist for Frank Cannon of Sanford, FL and Let It Ride Stables of Boca Raton, FL. In addition to his trio of Gold Series victories, the Hes Watching son also has a pair of wins in overnight action on his resume this season and has not been bested since his June 6 sophomore debut. At two, Tattoo Artist won a Grassroots division, two Gold legs and the season ending Super Final in an eight race campaign.

Jack Darling owns and trains Beaumond Hanover, who missed out on his freshman Ontario Sires Stakes season due to an injury. Since making his debut last fall, the son of Sportswriter has posted nine wins in 12 starts. Like Tattoo Artist, he has a pair of overnight wins to his credit this season and has not been collared since late June. Unlike Tattoo Artist, he had never ventured away from Woodbine Mohawk Park and that fact caused Darling a few moments of concern on Sunday.

“I was a little nervous because he was pretty worked up tonight, just being in a different environment and all the new surroundings. He was a handful to get calmed down and get him warmed up, but it didn’t seem to hurt him in the race,” said the Cambridge, ON resident. “He’s just kind of a superior animal.”

Both colts will have a few days rest before beginning preparations for the North America Cup eliminations at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Aug. 22.

In addition to Tattoo Artist’s victory, Dr. Moore also captured the $7,100 Prospect Series division with Usurper and the first $22,100 Grassroots division with The Wild Card.

Usurper and driver Trevor Henry controlled the tempo for most of the mile and were comfortable winners in 1:55.2. P H Impulse finished two lengths behind the favourite and Journalistic completed the top three. Next Generation Stable of Stratford, PEI owns the Sportswriter son, who had been winless in eight starts this season.

In rein to Doug McNair, favourite The Wild Card also controlled the tempo and held off Sunshine List in the stretch to record a half-length win in 1:54.1. Truffle Dog finished three lengths behind the leaders in third.

Moore shares ownership of The Wild Card with R G McGroup Ltd. of Bathurst, NB and Serge Savard of St-Bruno, QC and said the partners are thoroughly enjoying the Bettors Delight son’s sophomore success. Sunday’s win was The Wild Card’s third in the Grassroots program and gives him sole ownership of top spot in the division standings.

“He’s been a great little horse this year. It’s been a very enjoyable experience with him this summer so far,” said Moore. “I won’t be putting him up in the Gold that’s for sure, but he’s a very nice Grassroots horse to have around, no doubt about that.

“Very pleased with all four of them, actually, it will make the drive home a little bit nicer.”

Drivers Jody Jamieson and Trevor Henry also notched two stakes wins on Sunday’s program.

Jamieson piloted favourite Sports Obsession to a win in the second $22,450 Grassroots division for his wife, trainer Stephanie Jamieson, father, co-owner Carl Jamieson of Puslinch, ON, and George Harrison of Wanes Walton, England. The Sportswriter son powered along on the front end to a 1:54.1 victory, hitting the wire one-length ahead of Beach Demon and Delightful Terror.

Henry settled Sundown Kid in the pocket behind favourite Twin B Frenchtoast and then tipped the Sunshine Beach son out coming off the final turn in the last $22,450 Grassroots split. Sundown Kid powered home to a 1:52.1 victory, one and one-half lengths ahead of Twin B Frenchtoast. Rhett Seelster finished third.

Henry engineered the win, the gelding’s first in Grassroots action, for trainer Bob McIntosh of Windsor and his co-owners Dave Boyle of Bowmanville, ON and C S X Stables of Liberty Center, OH.

The three-year-old pacing colts make their next Grassroots start on Sept. 7 and their next Gold Series appearance on Sept. 18, both at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The fourth Prospect Series division goes postward Sept. 6 at Leamington Raceway.

In the $9,200 Preferred Pace, Vanilla Malted led every step to deliver as the odds-on favourite in 1:53.1. The four-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou set slow fractions of :28.2 and :57.2 before accelerating up the backstretch as Vegas Rocks charged first over for the lead. By three-quarters in 1:24.4, Vanilla Malted maintained control over Vegas Rocks and kept him at bay to the finish to win by three-quarter lengths. Bestofbest Hanover rode the pocket to finish third, five lengths behind.

Co-owned by trainer John Macmillan with 2099551 Ontario Inc., Vanilla Malted won his seventh race from 15 starts this season and his 20th from 46 overall, earning $85,409. Sylvain Filion drove the $3.10 winner.

Trainer Guy Gagnon collected three wins on the card. He sent Big Petes Style ($5.20), Take The Deal ($6.50) and Darcee N ($7.20) to victories on the 12-race card.

(with files from Ontario Sires Stakes)

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results – Rideau Carleton Raceway.