"About time, Bob!" called track announcer Ken Middleton as his trainee Bob Loblaw caught the popular divisional leader at the finish line for a 37-1 upset in the $225,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

After breaks marred his last few stakes races, Bob Loblaw was on his best behaviour to land his richest win to date with Sylvain Filion in the bike.

After a series of early lead changes, the top ranked John Pentland trainee Stonebridge Helios (Bob McClure) cleared to command just past the :55.3 midway mark and raced by three-quarters in 1:24 with pressure mounting from a first-over Erinwood Yves (Louis-Philippe Roy).

However, Bob Loblaw, who was still back in seventh at the pylons on the final turn, angled outside and staged a huge late rally to steal the glory in the final stride for the 1:53 triumph. Magical Arthur (Scott Zeron), who was shuffled to midpack after making the lead early from the outside post 10, was nosed out for the win after closing in between. Stonebridge Helios settled for third, a half-length back, while Erinwood Yves finished fourth.

"My only concern was the last turn," said Filion, referring to the point in the race where Bob Loblaw broke in the Champlain Stakes, Metro Pace and final Gold Series leg. "I was just hoping to get through the last turn still pacing and when I hit the top of the stretch, I know he's a very good and very fast horse, and I knew there was a possibility I could beat them even though I was so far back. But he's got so much speed and so much guts and you've got to give credit to Ken, he's done a great job with him."

Middleton, who bred the Sunshine Beach-Lady Marina gelding with the late Bill Galvin, also shares ownership with David Walls and James Grant of Sarnia, Ont., and Starting Centre Stables of Cambridge, Ont.

"There was only one start this year where I really had a little trepidation going into a race and that was after the Battle of Waterloo, he got a little bit sick," said Middleton. "It's really been frustrating. I haven't been able to pinpoint why exactly he was making breaks. You don't want to go out and make a bunch of changes. In all honesty, I thought he made breaks for three different reasons in those three difference races: in the Champlain, I thought he was pinching somewhere; the next start was the Metro, I think he just got claustrophobic in behind all those horses -- there was just an army of horses on the track that night and he was in a bad spot for the kind of horse he is; and the Flamboro race on the sloppy track there, it was hard as a rock that night, it was just a bad track. So not to make excuses, but I've been busting my hump to get him back and here he is."

Middleton was quick to credit the team behind his success and spoke about a few individuals near and dear to his heart.

"We were great friends, great partners and I miss him dearly," said Middleton of Galvin. "This is a race for him. I miss my dad too, he'd be proud of me. My mom's at home, she's one of the backbones of my success. I love her dearly and I thank her for all her help."

Bob Loblaw nearly doubled his bankroll, which stands at $233,657, while earning his third win to go along with three thirds from 12 starts.

He returned $77.20 for the upset.

Be sure to check out the rest of the recaps in the 2021 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final News Centre.