The last group to make their Ontario Sires Stakes debut this season, the two-year-old trotting colts battled in four $22,850 Grassroots divisions at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Thursday, July 15.

Luca Hanover laid down the fastest mile of the four contests with a strong 1:57.3 effort in the second division. Starting from Post 1 Luca Hanover settled briefly in second, while fan favourite HP Maestro trotted through a :29.3 quarter, and then driver Bob McClure moved the son of Resolve to the lead. Luca Hanover led the field of 11 to a :59.1 half and a 1:29.1 three-quarters on his way to the victory. HP Maestro finished two lengths back in second and Century Isaiah was two more back in third.

“That was a good start to his career. So far he’s been a professional and seems to be trending up with every start,” said Rockwood, ON resident McClure. “He could have been hot, but Francis (Dumouchel) is doing a great job keeping him manageable.”

Trainer Francis Dumouchel of Embro shares ownership of Luca Hanover with fractional ownership group OwnAStandardbred 2021 of Komoka, ON, Ecurie CSL of Sorel-Tracy and 9174 7998 Quebec Inc. of St-Janvier-Mirabel, QC. A $45,000 acquisition out of the Black Book Yearling Sale, Luca Hanover is two-for-two in his young career. The colt was also a winner in his July 6 debut in a two-year-old overnight event at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Fan favourite Feel The Force opened the Grassroots action on Thursday with a 2:00.2 score in the first division. Sea Can crossed the wire second, but went off-stride in the process so he was demoted to third and Usurp Hanover was bumped up to second.

“He’s a nice little horse that needs to get his confidence up,” said trainer Blake MacIntosh of Feel The Force. “I think he can keep improving as we go along.”

Guelph resident James MacDonald steers the Resolve gelding for St. George resident MacIntosh and his co-owners Steve Heimbecker of Waterloo and Van Camp Trotting Corp. of Port Perry, ON. The partners offered up $22,000 for Feel The Force at last fall’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

Marvin Hagler took the third division, the last over a dry and fast track, in 1:58.4. The fan favourite took command before the :59.2 half and never looked back, sailing through a 1:29.3 three-quarters and on to a four and one-quarter length victory over Vinces Wheeling and Mask Of Zoro.

Sylvain Filion engineered the win for trainer Mark MacQuarrie of McGregor and his co-owner Mary Pedden of Watford, ON. MacQuarrie and Pedden purchased the son of Crazed for $13,100 out of the London Virtual Yearling Sale last fall.

After a heavy rain, the track conditions were sloppy when the final division paraded onto the racetrack, but Red Overbach did not seem to mind, sailing to a 1:58.4 victory on the front end for driver Jody Jamieson. Twin B Archie finished three-quarters of a length back in second and Marauder Seelster was four lengths behind in third.

“He’s always had plenty of speed, but he needed to see the gate a few times before he would settle into the racing scene,” said Jamieson, who drove the gelding in two qualifiers and the July 6 overnight won by Luca Hanover before sending him behind the gate Thursday. “Tonight he was a pro and won handily.”

The driver’s father, Carl Jamieson of Puslinch, trains Red Overbach for his co-owners Thomas Kyron of Toronto and Dr. Robert Boyce of London, ON. Boyce also bred the son of Royalty For Life and Dixieland Jazz.

The second Gold Series Leg for the two-year-old pacing colts goes postward at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday, July 16. Two $103,800 divisions are slated for Races 5 and 7 on the 7:00 p.m. program.

(OSS)

To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.