McNairs Top OSS Standings

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For the third straight year, trainer Gregg McNair has topped the Ontario Sires Stakes' standings on the training side. This year, he's joined by his son -- driver Doug McNair -- for a father-son sweep.

Since 1987, the Ontario Sires Stakes program has presented The Lampman Cup to the leading driver in the OSS based on a points system. Winning his first Lampman Cup is Guelph's Doug McNair, whose 491 Lampman points topped former two-time Lampman winners Trevor Henry (457) and Sylvain Filion (448).

The Lampman Cup was established in memory of long-time Ontario Jockey Club harness racing publicist Jim Lampman.

On the training side Guelph's Gregg McNair concluded his third consecutive season atop to the OSS charts to once again capture the Johnston Cup, awarded yearly to the leading trainer in the Ontario Sires Stakes based on its points system. McNair's 337 points outpaced seven-time Johnston Cup winner Robert McIntosh (278) and John Bax (262).

The Johnston Cup was established in 1993 in memory of Bruce Johnston, the publisher of The Canadian Sportsman.

While McIntosh was topped on the training charts, no owner could say the same. Robert McIntosh Stables was the top money earner in the OSS program. His 97 starts picked up 78 purse cheques, good for $623,915 in earnings, ahead of Bax's Parkhill Stud Farm ($602,615) and Casie Coleman's West Wins Stable ($560,535).

The top money-earning breeder in the OSS for 2014 was Winbak Farm. Horses bred by Winbak had 232 OSS starts and banked $898,170 for their efforts. Close behind Winbak was Hanover Shoe Farms ($814,950), followed by Seelster Farms ($496,700).

On the sire side, the honours for top money-earning trotting stallion was once again a photo finish between Kadabra and Muscle Mass. In 2013, just $7,382 separated Kadabra's earnings from that of Muscle Mass. This year, however, Muscle Mass powered his way to the top of the trotting ledger. Muscle Mass' OSS starters banked $1,644,610 in the provincial program, just ahead of Kadabra's $1,628,750. Foals by Angus Hall earned $993,720.

With only one crop of racing age, Sportswriter topped the pacing stallion side in the OSS. Boosted by having more starts (219) than any stallion with two crops of racing age, Sportswriters earned $1,789,515 in OSS events, more than pacing racehorses sired by Shadow Play ($1,264,950) and Mach Three ($1,225,705).

(The OSS points system is as follows: One point is awarded for each OSS start. Four extra points are awarded for a win; three extra points for a second and two extra points for a third.)

Comments

Gregg and Doug are to be complimented on their dedication to Ontario bred horses. It's more lucrative to breed and race in the USA but they make it work. Also really good to see father and son work together.

Georg Leber-ICR Racing

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