Fresh off a win in the $532,000 Shes A Great Lady, Chantilly has upheld her perfect record, going eight-for-eight in her young career after winning the $140,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Fifth Leg on Thursday (Oct. 3) evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
James MacDonald and Chantilly left from post three and slid into third early behind longshots Macapelo Seelster (Tyler Borth) and Outtathisworld Deo (Louis-Philippe Roy). The Nick Gallucci student sat patiently through the opening quarter in :27.4 before pulling first over. She was caught on the outside at the :56.1 half, but cleared the top and never looked back. Chantilly went on to score by three-lengths in 1:51. Macapelo Seelster finished second and Wicked N Single (Jonathan Drury) was third.
"I get a little stressed out watching her follow the horses, but as soon as she clears to the front, you're just kind of watching fractions and seeing what's coming, but she keeps you pretty comfortable once she gets to the lead," Gallucci said.
With eight wins in eight starts, the freshman daughter of Big Jim and the Bettors Delight mare Shiraz Seelster has banked $611,000. Millar Farms bred and owns Chantilly. She returned $2.10 as the heavily-backed favourite.
Stonebridge Wizard took the first of two $95,000 OSS Gold splits for the freshman boys with a hefty 15-1 upset.
Doug McNair took the Jared Bako student into third and they bided their time through marks in :28, :57, and 1:24.4. Sliding up the inside, Stonebridge Wizard was able to zip past the field and win by a neck in 1:51.4. Sauble Wizard (Bob McClure) closed sharply, but was bested at the wire. Smiling Dancer (James MacDonald) rounded out the show ticket.
"He showed tonight he was tough as whalebone," McNair said. "He did a lot of work in the stretch to get by a lot of horses."
David Kryway owns the Dancin Lou - Odds On Magic gelding as he moved his record to 5-1-0 in eight starts. Stonebridge Wizard has banked $281,100 in his young career to date. He paid $32.70 to win.
Sterling Choice posted a mild 6-1 upset in the second division for the boys with Louis-Philippe Roy in the bike for Blake Macintosh.
Leaving from post seven, Sterling Choice grabbed the lead early and never looked back. He maintained his lead through splits in :27, :57.3, and 1:26.3 before continuing on to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.1. Crack Shot (Doug McNair) was second over bettors' choice Allstar Maniac (James MacDonald).
"He's a pretty smart horse," Roy said. "He does nothing stupid and when you turn him into gear at the end, he has a good gear or two there."
Sterling Choice (Betterthancheddar - Platinum Choice) is owned by Ozzie Mackay, Tammy Lynn Mackay, Blake Macintosh, and Gillies Landry. He won his second career race from 10 starts. With a record of 2-2-3, Sterling Choice has produced $215,392 in lifetime earnings. He paid $13.30 to win.
After their fifth and final leg on Thursday's card, the two-year-old pacers meet again on Oct. 12 for the Gold Super Finals at Mohawk.
Codys Moment ($9.50) came from seventh to win the $16,000 Pop Up Final by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.2. Tyler Jones piloted the William Budd student to victory. The Pop Up Series was for $8,000 Claiming Filly and Mare Pacers. Joe and Nicola Carnovale co-own the winning Control The Moment - Shellyssilvermoon mare.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)