Stonebridge Tonic took home his first Ontario Sires Stakes Gold trophy of the season thanks to a wire-to-wire score in the $130,000 final for three-year-old pacing colts Saturday night at Western Fair Raceway
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Driver Doug McNair sent elimination winner Stonebridge Tonic to the top from Post 5 and the son Camluck-Glacier Express carved out fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:24.3 en route to victory in 1:53. Even-money favourite Dalhousie Dave (Scott Zeron) finished one length behind off a pocket trip with first over challenger Code Word (Chris Christoforou) ending up third.
Stonebridge Tonic paid $9.50 to win as the 7-2 third choice. Trainer Gregg McNair shares ownership of the colt with the Artana Stables of St. Thomas, Leonard Gamble of Etobicoke and breeder Angie Stiller of Arva, Ont. The victory was Stonebridge Tonic's fourth in 20 seasonal starts and pushed his earnings to $243,845 for 2010 and $392,864 lifetime.
The top 10 OSS Gold performers of the program will head to Woodbine Racetrack next Saturday, Nov. 13 for the season-ending Super Finals. Stonebridge Tonic heads into the finale in second place behind division leader Mach Dreamer, who was scratched from Saturday’s event.
Western Fair also hosted the finals of the Middlesex County Series and the winner’s circle could barely contain the group that joined Warners Speedy Art ($2.70) following tonight’s $52,300 final for pacing horses.
Trevor Henry sent the three-year-old Modern Art-Decisive Margin colt to the top from the start and carved out fractions of :27.1, :57.1, 1:27.1 en route to the 1:58.2 effort to sweep the three week Middlesex Series. Loverboynik (Dave Wall) was second followed by That Horse JD (Ross Battin).
Trainer John Warner also owns the colt, who has yet to finish worse than third in his career with five wins, two seconds and two thirds in nine lifetime starts.
Yorke Puddin ($4.20) also completed a sweep of the series in the $47,500 trotting series final for mares. Thomas Hamm guided the three-year-old Duke Of York-Sherhanys Beauty miss to the 2:02.1 effort over Lightnin Laura Mae (Bob McClure) and Tzipi (Trevor Henry).
Owned by a numbered Ontario company from St. Thomas and trained by Bill Hamm, Yorke Puddin was recording her fourth win in 10 starts this year.
In the first Middlesex final, the $49,300 horse trot, it was longshot J J Blue ($60.00) getting up for Terry Kerr in 2:03.3 to defeat Bold Paul (Ross Battin) and Fiesty Jack (Stuart Sowerby).
Owned by Gregory Rogers of Michigan, the three-year-old gelding by Malabar Maple-Norwell Blue Blood was notching his first lifetime win with tonight’s score.
The $54,400 Middlesex final for mare pacers saw Astrmowin ($6.00) go wire-to-wire for driver James MacDonald to win in 1:58.3 over Capris In Motion (Trevor Henry) and Ella V Horse (Alex Lilley).
Trained by Bruce Goit for owner Bonnie Goit of Waterford, Ont., the three-year-old daughter of Astreos-Waasmowin now has five wins in six starts to date in her career.
(With files from Western Fair Raceway)