Ghostly Casper opened the 2023 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold season by winning the first of two $101,300 divisions for three-year-old trotting colts as the road to the $2.4 million Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals began on Monday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The son of Resolve prevailed over 1-9 favourite Hasty Bid in an exciting stretch duel for his first career win. He now has just under $270,000 on his card and a record of 1-6-4 from 15 starts.

“I always had lots of faith in this horse. He’s a really nice horse,” said trainer Ben Baillargeon. “Last year, he didn’t win, but had some huge miles. This year, he didn’t get bigger, but he got more muscular and stronger. He’s just a nice horse.”

James MacDonald took Hasty Bid to the early lead and rated the field through the first half-mile in :58.2 and second panel breather of :30.4.

Midway through the third quarter, Sylvain Filion moved  Ghostly Casper first-up and he proved game the rest of the way, closing in :26.4 to stop the clock at 1:54.1. He paid $24.70 for the win.

Baillargeon owns the colt with Teresa Davidson, Santo Vena and Nunzio Vena. He had two equipment changes prior to the start: a shoeing change and the removal of trotting hopples.

“He’s a much better trotter without [hopples],” said Baillargeon. “I think that’s why he ran last time. When they started to go around the 1:53 range, he didn’t have enough room to stretch out. Then last week, we trained him here, he was great, so going for $100,000 I said nope, let’s go without them.”

Hasty Bid’s second-place finish pushed the son of My MVP over $215,000 in earnings and the Paige Austin trainee now has five on the board finishes in six OSS starts. MacDonald and Austin co-own the colt.

Rounding out the podium was Kyle Fellows trainee Dowedealinandwhy. Jody Jamieson piloted the Wheelin N Dealin colt to the third-place finish. He’s made over $145,000 from 10 starts, with all of his cheques coming in the OSS.

The second OSS division of the evening was in race six, where Tuscan Prince, also rebounding from a break in his prior start, prevailed by a length over Osceola.

DWs Point Man with Filion driving battled Passarino and Jamieson for the early lead before Filion’s charge went off stride and Passarino led the field through an opening panel of :26.3.

Louis-Philippe Roy and Tuscan Prince were content to slide into fifth early on after leaving from post two.

“I saw DWs Point Man was leaving pretty hard and I know he’s a really quick little horse,” said Roy.  “So, I didn’t want to engage with him too early and I tried to trip [Tuscan Prince]. He ended up having to come first-over in the last turn, but I don’t think it was a big effort from him. He was very fresh when I moved him and he kept trotting to the wire.”

Serge Godin’s Determination Stable owns Tuscan Prince and Luc Blais trains the Kadabra gelding. The win was his fourth career in the OSS and fifth overall, good for over $180,000 in earnings from 13 starts. He paid $4.80 for the win.

Doug McNair piloted Osceola to the second-place finish. His father Gregg conditions the horse for co-owners Willow Oak Ranch and Paul Hawman. The Muscle Mass colt now has two wins and a runner-up in three starts this year, all against stakes company helping push his total earnings over $280,000.

Oh Look Magic edged out What An Angel for third place. Bax Stable, Glengate Farms and the Cavalier Stable own the Lookslikeachpndale gelding, who now has seven on the board finishes in 13 career starts. Chris Christoforou drove.

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

(Ontario Racing)