Millionare Cam Quickest In OSS Gold Elims
Favourite Millionaire Cam prevailed in a tense stretch battle with Shady Cam to take the first and fastest $40,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold elimination for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings tonight at Mohawk Racetrack.
Longshot Windsong Fortune (Ron Pierce) took command off the gate with LH Remachable (Luc Ouellette) pocketing up and Millionaire Cam (Jody Jamieson), who left from the inside post, biding his time back in sixth through a :27.3 first quarter.
Mark MacDonald wasted little time in overtaking with Ideal Race through the 3/8 station, leaving Windsong Fortune cruising in his wake. Shady Cam and Jason Brewer provided cover for the even-money favourite, Millionaire Cam, and Jamieson made the most of it as the two colts inched their way towards the front at the 3/4 pole, leaving behind a tired Ideal Race.
The two Cam colts locked horns as they entered the stretch with little daylight between them, until Millionaire Cam finally swept past to win in 1:51.2.
Stonebridge Terror, who had been mired in traffic for much of the mile, showed some huge speed at the wire to seize third.
Millionaire Cam, a freshman son of Million Dollar Cam out of the Artsplace mare, Michelles Jackpot, has now scored two wins in three career starts for owner/breeder Jeffrey Snyder of New York, New York, and trainer Tony O'Sullivan.
Commented Jamieson, "He's a real fast colt with a big engine on him. Jason's colt Shady Cam is a really nice colt too, still a little green but I was a bit worried when he cleared so easily going into the last turn and we started sprinting a bit. But I didn't even turn my colt loose until the start pole. He won in a very fast time and was well in hand.
"He's got kind of a suspect set of knees. Nothing major, just maybe a little arthritic, which is kind of rare for a two-year-old, but when they go fast they tend to get a little sore. He was good tonight and next week we just hope to draw well and set him up for a good trip. I'm sure he'll sprint home with anybody."
In the second OSS elim, Bob McIntosh trainee, Nebupanezzar, bounced back from defeat in the Metro Pace, to triumph decisively over favoured Shipps Xpectancy in 1:52.3.
Steve Condren gave Nebupanezzar a perfect off-the-pace trip while Shipps Xpectancy and Randy Waples did the front-end work through much of the mile.
By the three-quarter marker, Nassagaweya Stakes winner Shipps Xpectancy had opened up a one-and-a-half length lead over longshot, Azoreansailor (Paul MacDonell), but Nebupanezzar began to stalk on the outside, reeling in the leader in the final dozen strides before the wire.
Shipps Xpectancy hung on for second with Surrealist (Mike Saftic) snatching the show spot.
A homebred son of No Pan Intended, Nebupanezzar can now boast six wins in eight starts in his freshman year.
"He's been a little bit muscle-y ever since (the OSS Gold Final at) Flamboro, so Bob decided to put an open bridle on him and I liked the way he responded with it. We're just trying to settle him down and keep him good for the end of the year. He settled well tonight and went a big trip.
"This colt has done everything good from the get-go. He's here to race."
Next week's $120,000 OSS Gold Final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings will go Saturday night, September 27, at Mohawk.
The field in listed below in order of post positions.
1 – Trail Boss
2 – Stonebridge Terror
3 – Millionare Cam
4 – Mild Mannered
5 – Rescue Plan
6 – Waffles And Cream
7 – Nebupanezzar
8 – Shipps Xpectancy
9 – Shady Cam
10 – Surrealist
AE1 – Windsong Fortune
AE2 – A Spring Of Hope
AE3 – Uncle Bill Mac
To view Saturday's results, click here.
(With files from WEG)