Grand Slam For MacDonell In Super Finals
Eight $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals saw some of harness racing's top competators deliver eye-catching victories on Saturday night over a sloppy Woodbine Racetrack including driver Paul MacDonell, who guided winners in half of the lucrative events.
Elusive Desire Dominates In OSS Super Final
Elusive Desire pleased fans with a dominant victory over a sloppy racetrack in the $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for two-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack.
Fresh off a victory in last week’s Gold Final, the 2-5 favourite left from Post 5 and laid down fractions of :28.4, :59 and 1:29 before opening up by eight lengths for the win in 2:00.2.
Ill Wait For You (Trevor Ritchie) closed well for second and Cumin First (Rick Zeron) rounded out the top three.
The Angus Hall – Valley Amber filly, who is trained by Mike Keeling and owned by P C Wellwood Enterprises Inc. of Cambridge, Charles Armstrong of Brampton and Robert Fasken of Oakville, Ont., improved her record to 3-6-4 in 14 starts and lifted her bankroll to $395,904.
Pointe Of Honour Breaks Maiden In OSS Super Final
After 10 career starts, Pointe Of Honour made his first trip to victory lane in the $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings tonight at Woodbine Racetrack.
With the hot-handed Paul MacDonell in the bike, the son of Striking Sahbra – Garland Bonita shot to the lead from Post 6. The Paula Wellwood pupil set the tempo with panels of :29.1 and 1:00, but Winning Mister (Randy Waples) rushed up from fifth and rolled past the third quarter station in 1:29.2. Pointe Of Honour re-emerged in deep stretch from the pocket to win in 2:00.1 over a sloppy track.
Winning Mister stayed for second and Hitithard (Mike Saftic) finished third.
The winner of $262,114 in purses is owned by Wellwood Stables Inc. of Cambridge and the Paul MacDonell Racing Stb of Guelph, Ont.
Super Victory For St Lads Popcorn
St Lads Popcorn and driver Jason Brewer took to the front and never looked back in the $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for two-year-old pacing fillies Saturday night over a sloppy Woodbine Racetrack.
Brewer sent the 3-5 favourite, who is a four-time Gold Final winner, to the front from Post 5 and set the pace with panels of :27, :55 and 1:25.1 en route to victory in 1:54.4.
Arts Star (Mark MacDonald) rode the pocket to finish second and Take My Pulse (Steve Condren) finished third.
The daughter of Twin B Champ – Hot Butter scored her 10th win in 13 outings and increased her bankroll to $562,323. St Lads Popcorn is trained by John Darling for the Jack Darling Stables Ltd. of Cambridge, Ont.
Voelz Hanover Is Super In OSS Final
Voelz Hanover and driver Mario Baillargeon managed to hang on by a head to win the $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for three-year-old pacing fillies at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday night.
Leaving from Post 5, the 3-5 favourite fronted the field through fractions of :27.2, :56.1, and 1:25.4 as Chancey Lady (Mike Saftic) applied first-over pressure. As the field turned for home, Voelz Hanover kicked away by four lengths, but Southwind Swallow (Mike Vanderkemp) closed in on the pacesetter with a late stretch rush. Voelz Hanover, however, managed to hang on for the victory in 1:56 in sloppy conditions. Windsong Eva (Luc Ouellette) finished third.
“I think we’re going to try the Breeders Crown with her,” trainer Benoit Baillargeon told WEG's Media Department. “She deserves a chance, she’s been racing really good."
The daughter of Astreos – Vassar Hanover is owned by Richard Berthiaume of Pointe-Aux-Trembles, Que. The bay’s fourth straight win improved her record to 13-6-4 in 30 career starts and increased her lifetime earnings to $662,134.
Somebeachsomewhere Stars In Super Final
World Champion Somebeachsomewhere added the $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings to his inspiring list of accomplishments over a track rated sloppy on Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack.
Somebeachsomewhere, the heavy 1-9 fan favourite, carved out fractions of :27, :54.2 and 1:21 all alone on the front end before pacing to the wire in 1:50.3 giving reinsman Paul MacDonell his third Super Final score of the night.
Keystone Horatio (Randy Waples) was a distant second while Trade Editor (Jody Jamieson) came on for third.
"He is definitely the horse of a lifetime, probably the horse of ten lifetimes," trainer Brent MacGrath told WEG's Media Department. "I look at the trainers who've trained 50, 60, 70 horses their whole lives and never had a horse like this. Maybe we've never seen a horse like him.
"The trip he went here tonight was unbelievable. He's (had) three weeks off, he's got to be a little bit short. He'll probably be a little bit tighter next week at The Meadowlands after this race tonight. He just did it on his own, his earplugs are still in.
"I stuck to my guns (with Somebeachsomewhere's racing schedule) because I wanted the horse to look like he looked tonight, late in the year. It's worked. You can only go to the well with these horses so often and I chose the races I thought were important for the horse and for the group, and it has worked out."
The son of Mach Three – Wheres The Beach, who is owned by the Schooner Stables of Bible Hill, N.S., notched his 19th career win in 20 starts and pushed his earnings over the prestigious $3 million dollar mark. The pacing sensation's start in the Super Final will be his last on Canadian soil.
Nebupanezzar Romps In OSS Super Final
Nebupanezzar earned million-dollar status on Saturday night after capturing the $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings at Woobine Racetrack.
The son of No Pan Intended – Western Wonder, who was sent postward as the hot 3-5 favourite, delivered on his pari-mutuel promise with Steve Condren at the reins. Nebupanezzar left from Post 7 and led the field through panels of :27, :56.2 and 1:25.4 before romping to a four and a half-length victory in 1:55 on a sloppy track.
Stonebridge Terror (Mike Saftic) was the runner-up while Trail Boss (Doug McNair) took the show spot.
Owner Bob Glazer told Trot Insider that the Super Final will be the last start of the year for Nebupanezzar.
Bob McIntosh trains the two-time Gold Final winner who scored his 10th win in 14 starts.
Kadealia Upsets In OSS Super Final
Enduring the cold and snow flurries, Kadealia and driver Jack Moiseyev wired the field, pulling off a 60-1 upset in the $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for three-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack.
Leaving from Post 6, the Kadabra – New Ideal miss set the tone with panels of :29.2, :58.1 and 1:27.4 en route to a 1:59.1 score by almost two lengths.
Longshot Only Lonely (Trevor Ritchie) rode the pocket to finish second and Pasadena Princess (Randy Waples) finished third. The 6-5 favourite, Bella Dolce, finished eighth after attempting a first-over bid at the half and breaking stride.
The Brenda Teague trainee is owned by Elmer Fannin of Lincoln, Delaware. Kadealia's third career win lifted her bankroll to $293,392.
Grand Slam For MacDonell In Super Finals With Define The World
Paul MacDonell scored a grand slam winning his fourth $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final with the three-year-old standout trotter Define The World over a sloppy Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday night.
The Duke Of York – Venice Holiday gelding, who was sent postward as the 1-5 favourite, left from Post 4 and marched on through panels of :28, :58.1 and 1:28.1 before holding off a late rush from the pocket-sitter Sergeant York (Keith Oliver) to win in 1:57.4 by a head. Striking Rich (Chris Christoforou) was third.
The John Bax pupil has banked $739,221 in his career with 13 wins in 26 outings. Al Libfeld of Pickering, Ont. owns the three-time Gold Final victor.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.
**For a photo gallery presentation of all the Super Final winners, click here.
Another awesome display by
Another awesome display by the Beach last night!
But with that romp also had me thinking.
SBSW only had 2 races in the OSS series!
On a midseason prep as well as last night's display..Another tightener for bigger and better things.
But when I watched keystone Horatio closing very strongly for second, I started to think.
Horatio, thhe Mohegan Pan and others in the race have been knocking heads series after series, and in the end, the only purse they could hope for second money, and that was made clear over the summer by the Beach's connections.
I think the OSS program should take a serious look into the program by adding a minimum start condition to participate in the finals!
The sires stakes programs were created to improve the breeding in Ontario, and it most certainly done that.But when a horse who has been pounding the best horses in the industry and then drops into the Gold final by simply winning a " prep" race 4 months ago...It may be great for the fans to get one more look at this horse, but it isn't fair to the horseman who have competed in the program on a seies basis.
Paul is a great horsemen,
Paul is a great horsemen, and a better person. I have been involved in this game for more than 30 years and Paul is one of the best. He is everything Canadian. Competitive, bright, hard working and a nice guy. And he does all of this with very little fanfare. Paul, getting to drive "The Beach" couldn't have happened to a nicer and more deserving person. You are a true gentlemen. Now onto to the Breeders.
Congratulations Paul! It was
Congratulations Paul! It was fantastic too see you have a great night at Woodbine. There is only one accomplishment left for you to achieve, win the Breeders with "The Beach". You are a exceptional individual and have represented the harness game with humility and dignity this past year. You have my vote for horseman of the year!