In the $225,000 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Super Final for three-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night (Oct. 15) at Woodbine Mohawk Park, Silver Label used a strong final quarter to surge to victory.
The top three picks in the race — Silver Label, Velvet Stinger and favourite Prohibition Legal — are homebred stablemates of George Millar, of Stouffville, Ont. They’re all trained by Nick Gallucci, also of Stouffville. Doug McNair of Guelph, Ont. drove the winning horse.
While Silver Label and Prohibition Legal finished one-two, Velvet Stinger was seventh.
Prohibition Legal, piloted by James MacDonald, was in the lead by the :26.3 first quarter while Silver Label was steered into the pocket as they continued to the half in :54.4.
“The speed was on the outside of it, so I figured I’d try to take advantage and try to grab a hold of the front as early as I could,” said McNair. “I figured James would be on the move and [Prohibition Legal] is a nice filly to follow, so she got us to the promised land.”
Silver Label and Balance, who finished in fourth, battled for the lead for much of the race’s third quarter. Prohibition Legal led at the 1:23.1 third-quarter pole, appearing poised to win her second straight Super Final. But then she began to drift and McNair paved the inside course by Prohibition Legal to take a one-length victory in a lifetime-best 1:50.2.
“[Prohibition] Legal just didn’t really find her home the way I was thinking. But all the credit goes to Silver Label and Doug,” said Gallucci.
Silver Label, a daughter of Bettors Delight, claimed the large part of the $225,000 purse and paid $8.10 in the process. The Super Final score puts Silver Label’s lifetime winnings over $770,000. Six of those wins, and more than $430,000 of that prize money, has come in 12 races this season. She has compiled a record of 3-1-0 in six OSS starts this year and upended her stablemate whom beat her in the Super Final last year for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Millar was asked after the Super Final if there was one of the horses he preferred over the others. He said, "You know what, they’re all my favourite. I mean, I love them all."
Both the victorious Silver Label and her runner-up stablemate are expected to be in the field next week at Woodbine Mohawk Park for Breeders Crown eliminations.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Ontario Racing)