Flamboro Downs played host to the final leg of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold action for two-year-old pacers as part of the 11-race Sunday, Oct. 1 card. Two divisions each for the pacing fillies and colts were featured, highlighted by Funtime Bayama pacing to a track record and equalling the all-time Canadian record for two-year-old pacing geldings on a half-mile track.
Starting from post two in the $99,500 first division for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, driver Sylvain Filion wasted no time getting Funtime Bayama to the front, leading the field to the opening quarter in :28. The Richard Moreau trainee remained unchallenged on the lead to the halfway point in :57.1. Funtime Bayama began to assert himself on the lead in the third quarter, opening up on the field by five lengths to reach that station in 1:25.1. The race was against the clock in the final stanza, with Funtime Bayama powering home in :27.3 as a geared down winner by five in 1:52.4. Nijinsky and James MacDonald finished second, with Wikipedia and Jonathan Drury third. Funtime Bayama paid $2.10 as the 1-9 favourite.
The victory was the fourth of the season for the son of Hes Watching-Tymal Sugrbabydoll, all of which have come consecutively. The homebred for Bayama Farms has yet to finish worse than second in six career starts and now boasts a career bankroll of $212,880.
Now the fastest freshman in Flamboro history, the 1:52.4 clocking lowered the previous mark of 1:53.4 for two-year-old pacing geldings shared by Nebupanezzar, I Found My Beach and Moment Is Here, and equalled the all-time Canadian record for two-year-old pacing geldings on a half held by Betterhavemymoney.
Sylvain Filion completed the sweep of the two-year-old pacing colts and geldings as Storm Shadow followed suit with a dominant performance of his own in the $100,400 second division. Storm Shadow was able to take immediate control of the field of six from post four as he went straight to the lead through an opening quarter of :29.1. The 1-5 favourite had the field's respect to the half as Filion tapped the brakes to the tune of :59.4. Crush Kill Destory and Bob McClure recovered from a miscue at the start to be the first to engage Storm Shadow, reaching the leader's wheel at three-quarters in 1:28.2. Storm Shadow rebuffed the challenge on the far turn before thundering home in :27.4 to open up by four lengths at the wire to win in 1:56.1. Why Wouldnt Ya and Trevor Henry closed for second, with Crush Kill Destroy holding for third.
Storm Shadow notched his second victory in eight career tries for trainer Dr. Ian Moore. Bred by Tara Hills Stud, the son of Bettors Delight-Fade surged to six figures in career earnings with the win, banking $137,054 for owners R G McGroup Ltd., Serge Savard, Mac Nichol and Bolton Farms LLC.
Dr. Ian Moore scored a stakes double on the card as Ann was victorious in the first of two $100,400 divisions for the two-year-old pacing fillies. Despite being rambunctious off the gate and taking the opening turn wide from the rail position, driver Bob McClure was able to settle Ann on the backstretch before briskly moving to the front at the quarter pole in :28 over Wicked Leader and Trevor Henry. Ann continued to hold the field at bay through the middle half of the mile, leading to those stations in :56.2 and 1:25, respectively. Ann proved to be strong in the lane, pacing home in :29.2 to score the victory by nearly two lengths in 1:54.2. One More Bet (Sylvain Filion) split rivals in the lane to rally for second with Wicked Leader holding for third. Ann paid $4 to win as the even-money favourite.
The victory was the second in three career starts for the Moore-trained daughter of Hes Watching-Addicted To Love. Bred by Dean and Ashley Wilson, Ann pushed her career bankroll to $60,860 for owners Wilma and James Mackenzie.
Pass Line deployed similar front-stepping tactics to deliver as the favourite in the second division for the pacing fillies. Starting from the outside post six, Pass Line and driver James MacDonald found themselves four-wide vying for the lead in the opening turn before settling into third as Odds On Platinum and Sylvain Filion laid down a :27.4 opening quarter. MacDonald wasn't content to sit for long as he wheeled Pass Line to the front end exiting the second turn to take control of the field at the half in :56.4. Pass Line was under immediate pressure in the third quarter as Coco Jo Jo and Bob McClure led the charge first-up to the leader's wheel in 1:25.3. Pass Line had plenty left in the tank, firing off a :28.2 final quarter to fend off a final charge by Odds On Platinum to score by a length in 1:54. Blazing Belle and Doug McNair finished third.
The victory was the fourth consecutive and eighth in 10 career starts for the Ontario Sires Stakes points leader in the division. Trained by David Menary, Pass Line is a homebred daughter of All Bets Off-Breakheart Pass for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC along with Frank Baldachino and has banked $365,152 for her career.
It was the final leg of five Ontario Sires Stakes Gold legs before the $300,000 Super Finals set to be contested on Friday, Oct. 13 at Woodbine Mohawk Park for the two-year-old divisions.
Older stars were also in action on the Sunday card as Andy Over and Ed Hensley scored the gate-to-wire victory in the $11,000 Preferred Trot. Andy Over went directly to the lead and never looked back to score the 1:56.2 victory by two lengths over race favourite and defending Preferred winner Power And Grace. Ed Hensley co-owns the six-year-old gelded son of Andovers Son-Victory Love along with trainer Ashleigh Hensley. The victory was the fourth of 2023 and 26th of his career for Andy Over, who now boasts lifetime earnings of $203,652.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.