Every age, sex, gait category of the 2022 Ontario Sires Stakes season is officially underway, with a pair of divisions kicking off the Gold campaign for rookie pacing colts Saturday night (July 9) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

In the first $101,300 division, Stockade Seelster was victorious in his pari-mutuel debut.

Leaving from pylon post, Jody Jamieson settled the son of State Treasurer into fourth early on behind a :27.1 first quarter set by odds-on favourite Moment Is Here. Jamieson sent the Dr. Ian Moore trainee to the front as the field entered the backstretch and took the lead by the halfway marker. Moment Is Here tried another move down the stretch, but Stockade Seelster proved the best, winning by a length in a stout time of 1:51.3.

“When I got up the backside, he got to the front pretty easy,” said Jamieson, “Half in 56 and he did the rest himself, he’s just a nice colt.”

It was Jamieson’s first time sitting behind Stockade Seelster, but he saw up close what he could do in his pair of qualifiers that he won by two lengths each.

“I was in both qualifiers with him and saw how dominant he was, and seen how much speed he had,” said Jamieson. “I knew he had talent, but you’re never sure how they’re going to perform the first time, but Doc told me he was ready to go, and he wasn’t lying.”

The win netted owners Sally Macdonald (Souris, P.E.I), and Paul Macdonald (Toronto, Ont.) $50,650.

Moment Is Here finished a game second, closing in :26.3. Trevor Henry drove the All Bets Off son for Hall of Fame Trainer Bob McIntosh. McIntosh co-owns the colt with Al McIntosh Holdings Inc, (Leamington, Ont.), Frank Baldachino (Harvey Cedars, NJ), and Mardon Stables (Loretto, Ont.).

Gregg McNair trainee Sounds Good was third, with McNair’s son Doug in the race bike. Michael, and Sam Sergi of Canton, N.Y. own the Bettors Delight colt.

Write Me A Rose won the second $102,200 division, giving trainer Rob Fellows his second Gold division win in 2022.

The Sportswriter colt was sent the favourite in the field of eight, and leaving from post four found himself off the pace behind a slow first half of :57.3 in sixth position.

“When you watched the race, and saw the cheap half you thought, oh no now we’re in a bad spot,” said Fellows.

But Sylvain Filion was able to maneuver his charge into fourth as the field entered the stretch, and he powered home in :26.1 to fend off late closing Better Be Bold.

“Every time all these babies go behind the gate, they surprise me every year with their speed,” said Fellows. “So far he’s been a nice colt, so let’s just hope he can stay healthy, and have a good summer, and we can put him away safe and healthy in October.”

The Windermere Stable LLC homebred now has two wins from two starts in his rookie campaign.

Better Be Bold posted a final fraction of:26 to finish second by a half length with Louis-Philippe Roy driving. Shawn Steacy trains the Betterthancheddar colt for owners Mark Steacy (Lansdowne, Ont.) David Reid (Sydenham, Ont.), and Landmark 15 Racing Stable (Lansdowne, Ont.). Rod Boyd trainee Nightime Dancer was third with Johnathan Drury in the race bike.

Alongside the Gold action, pacing glamour boys were in action in four divisions of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots second preliminary. 

Jabberwocky grabbed the lead past the quarter and coasted to a 1:50.4 win in the first division. Driver Sylvain Filion circled the Hes Watching gelding to the lead after a :26.3 first quarter and sped through middle fractions of :55 and 1:23 to post a 3-1/2-length win over Sip Of Bourbon, who snagged second from pocket-sitter Bootlegger Charlie. 

Rick Zeron trains and co-owns Jabberwocky through his Rick Zeron Stables with James Walker, John Donato and Earn It To Burn It Stable. He won his second race from 19 starts, pushed his bankroll to $43,250 and paid $4.80 to win.

Filion returned to the winner's circle in the second Grassroots split with Kaporal, who held to go coast-to-coast in 1:52.3. The Sunshine Beach gelding bolted for the lead from post nine to set a clip of :28, :57.2 and 1:25.2 to then hold off a late challenge from pocket-puller Coligny Hanover by a head at the beam. Dynomites Peak, the 2-1 favourite, rallied to finish third.

Kaporal competes for owners Ecurie Francis Richard Inc., trainer Richard Moreau through his Ecurie Richard Moreau Inc., Guillaume Desrochers and Pierre Guillemette. He's now won four races from eight starts, earned $34,502 and paid $14 to win. 

Moreau completed a training hat trick, started by a win in an overnight with Stonebridge Rex ($12.30), in the third Grassroots split when Persistant Boy delivered as the 1-9 favourite. Another one piloted by Sylvain Filion, Persistant Boy brushed to the lead after a :27.4 first quarter and strolled to a :56.2 half before facing first-over pressure from Twin B Raptor. He easily turned that challenge away off the turn and rolled to a two-length win in 1:52.1. Kobra Kai rode the pocket to finish second and Twin B Raptor ascended to third through disqualification. 

A gelding by Sportswriter, Persistant Boy won his sixth race from 14 starts and has now banked $41,773. He races for owners La Ferme Drummond Inc. and Richard Desrosiers and paid $2.10 to win. 

Greystone Ian O completed a sweep of the Grassroots by the favourites with a 1:53.3 win. Trainer/driver Lorne House hustled the Sportswriter gelding to the lead after a :28 first quarter and scooted clear of his competition to a :57.2 half. He continued to widen his advantage to three-quarters in 1:25.2 and the "top colt" turned for home in hand to win by 2-1/4 lengths. Hashtag Money finished second and Final Cheeserecipe took third.

Ryan Clements, Ryan Willis and Lorne House own Greystone Ian O, who won his sixth race from 14 starts and racked his account to $55,805. He paid $4.60 to win. 

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park. 

(with files from Ontario Sires Stakes)