Prohibition Legal maintained her perfect record in Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series action with an impressive victory in the lone $157,200 two-year-old pacing filly division at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (Oct. 2).
Starting from post three, driver James MacDonald settled Prohibition Legal in fifth, tucked in behind stablemate Silver Label, as I Love Ongait led the field of nine to a :26.1 opening quarter. Heading down the backstretch, Sylvain Filion moved Silver Label to the front, and the pair paced by the half in :55.2. As Silver Label settled on the lead, MacDonald tipped Prohibition Legal into the outer lane and the favourite began a steady march forward.
Silver Label was still in control at the 1:23.4 three-quarters, but her stablemate was about to change gears. With a :26.4 sprint, Prohibition Legal accelerated down the stretch to a 1-1/4-length victory in a personal-best 1:50.4. Silver Label finished second and Love That Smile was another length and a half back in third.
“It was a great, great race. I’d say the better horse won, right now, but who knows in the future,” said trainer Nick Gallucci. “I wasn’t expecting to see 1:50.4 ring up tonight, but obviously happy to see it, proud of both the fillies.”
Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont. bred and owns the fillies. Prohibition Legal is a daughter of Big Jim and Catch A Wish, while Silver Label is by Bettors Delight and out of Hidden Gem. Prior to Saturday’s contest, neither filly had been bested in Ontario Sires Stakes action and Silver Label was undefeated through six starts. Prohibition Legal suffered her only loss through seven career starts in last weekend’s Shes A Great Lady Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
“After losing I was little worried, sometimes a horse gets beat and they go into another race against a good horse and they might not be as willing to race that horse, but her it’s opposite,” said Gallucci of Prohibition Legal. “She wanted to race, she wanted to beat the other horse. It almost made her stronger and gave her a little more fight I would say. It’s nice to see.
“I think what makes good horses great, you find out with a sprint,” he said. “For that four or five strides, you find out which one is better, and Prohibition Legal, she’s always had that acceleration for those steps.”
Prohibition Legal and Silver Label head into the October 16 Super Final ranked first and second in the two-year-old pacing filly division standings with 250 and 175 points, respectively. The top-10 point earners will square off in the $225,000 Gold Series season finale.
“That race obviously will stretch out Silver Label a little bit, hopefully she builds on it into the next race the way Prohibition Legal did into this race from last week,” said Gallucci. “Her [Prohibition Legal’s] last two races have been her toughest races and, hopefully she comes out of this one okay, but she came out of the last one great.”
On Monday, Oct. 4, Woodbine Mohawk Park will host the last Gold Series leg for the two-year-old trotting fillies and the three-year-old trotting colts. The fillies will compete in Races 2 and 6, while the colts square off in Race 8. Fans can download a program and watch the live stream on the Woodbine Mohawk Park website.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Ontario Sires Stakes)