The Ontario Sired Spring Series kept horseplayers on the edge of their seats as three of the four finals ended in close finishes during an action-packed Saturday, April 26 card of harness racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The series featured four divisions divided by sex and gait for Ontario-sired three-year-olds that were non-winners of $30,000 in 2024.
Trainer Dave Menary's Time Passer ($5.10) kicked off the series action with a 1:53.2 maiden-breaking victory after topping a shortened field of four in the $48,100 final for male pacers with James MacDonald in the bike.
Time Passer carved out fractional times of :27.4, :57.1 and 1:25.1 then held off pocket-pursuer Mood Control (Louis-Philippe Roy) by a neck, with Moving On Over (Trevor Henry) following more than five lengths back in third.
The opening round winners were not threats on this night as 6-5 favourite Asiago Seelster (Bob McClure) broke stride twice in the mile and the other Menary trainee, Betterseetheshow, was scratched sick.
Time Passer, who picked up third and fourth-place cheques in the opening legs of the series, earned his first career win in his 11th start. The Bettors Delight-As Time Goes By gelding is owned by Menary Racing Inc., Michael Guerriero, Ryan Morefield and Larry Menary.
Debra ($4.80) completed a sweep of the series for trotting fillies when she held off late-closer Nightingale at the wire with a 1:56.1 career-best effort for the McClures -- driver Bob, trainer Bill and co-owner Ryan.
Parked past a :27.3 quarter in the $46,000 final, 7-5 favourite Debra cleared and was immediately confronted by an overland Core Resolve (Todd Ratchford) as they raced to the half in :57.2 and three-quarters 1:27.3. Debra rebuffed that rival as she swung off the final turn with a two-length lead that dwindled to just a head when 9-5 second choice Nightingale (Jody Jamieson) stormed home off cover to make it a close call. Roxie Heart (Tyler Borth) edged out Core Resolve for third prize, three lengths behind.
After starting her sophomore season with a perfect record in the series, the Muscle Mass-Gradabra filly is now six-for-11 lifetime.
Trainer/driver Dagfin Henriksen's developing colt trotter Modelo Gold ($6.30) followed up a maiden-breaking victory in last week's preliminary leg with a faster 1:54.4 winning mile in Saturday night's next $46,600 final.
Henriksen got away third with the 2-1 favourite and made the winning move after post 10 leaver P L Spencer (Louis-Philippe Roy) and the pocket-pulling Manforce (Jody Jamieson) traded turns on the lead through opening panels of :27.2 and :57.1. Modelo Gold responded to Henriksen's cue as he applied pressure to three-quarters in 1:26 and trotted two lengths clear down the stretch, with first round winners P L Spencer remerging for the runner-up honours and Fast Snap (James MacDonald) tracking Modelo Gold's cover to finish third.
Improving with every start this season, Modelo Gold now sports a career record reading 2-3-2 from 10 starts. Henriksen co-owns the Muscle Mass-Right On Renee colt with Gerald Haggerty.
Better In Heels ($32.70) pulled off a 15-1 upset as another series ended in a tight finish with four pacing fillies spread across the wire. With trainer and co-owner Paul Davies handing the reins over to Jody Jamieson for the $47,800 final, Better In Heels lowered her lifetime mark to 1:54.1.
Whiskey Blue Chip (Mario Baillargeon), who took charge into the first turn, was denied a series sweep after setting fractions of :27.2, :57.1 and 1:25 then duelling with 6-5 favourite Coeuratout De Lac (Louis-Philippe Roy), coming off a win in last week's leg, as they spun for home. Kandy Kiss (Tyler Borth) joined the mix from the pocket in deep stretch while Better In Heels, who remained third along the pylons throughout, shook loose late and ranged up four-wide to prevail in the final strides by a head. Kandy Kiss edged out Coeuratout De Lac for second with Whiskey Blue Chip settling for fourth.
After opening her sophomore season with a fifth-place finish and third in the opening legs of the series, Better In Heels' victory in the final gives her three wins in 11 starts overall. Davies and his wife Nikki share ownership of the filly by Betterthancheddar out of Black Stilletos.
The Canadian Sired Graduate Series for four-year-olds continued on Saturday with the pacing division in the spotlight. The opening leg did not fill and was followed by a $25,000 second leg with a short field of five lining up behind the gate.
Driver Doug McNair pulled pocket early with Century Komodo ($5.60) to take the lead and the Dave Menary trainee paced a strong final quarter to keep the rest of the field at bay for the 1:51.2 victory.
Century Komodo looped :27.3 first quarter leader Merigo Magic (Louis-Philippe Roy) as they entered the backstretch and set middle splits of :56 and 1:24.3 before closing it out with a :26.4 last quarter to keep clear of his foes as they pursued four-across just over a length behind. Coming on strong at the end, Chain Gang (Trevor Henry) out-finished 6-5 favourite Funtime Bayama (James MacDonald), Storm Shadow (Bob McClure) and Merigo Magic for the runner-up honours.
Following a successful season's debut two weeks ago in a top tier conditioned class at odds of 20-1, Century Komodo was sent postward as the 9-5 second choice. He earned his 10th career win from 32 starts and lifted his earnings to $181,188. The son of Bettors Delight out of Michelons Filly is owned by Pollack Racing.
In regular overnight racing action, the Kyle Fellows-trained Write Me A Rose ($3.10) delivered a 1:50.1 front-stepping score in a $28,000 Preferred 2 Pace, with Doug McNair putting the 1-2 bettors' choice on the point and fending off final turn pocket-puller Poseidon Seelster (Bob McClure), who took a brief lead in the lane before settling for the runner-up role. Windermere Stable's homebred five-year-old stallion, a son of Sportswriter and Caribbean Rose N, went over the $600,000 earnings mark with his 18th career victory.
Fellows also sent out $70,000 claiming pacer Nazare ($21.40) to a 1:49.2 victory in the opener, equalling Canada's fastest mile this year that this race's runner-up, Highlandbeachlover, established two Saturdays ago. Tyler Borth drove each of those pacers in their respective national season's record miles.
Even-money favourite Wind Blown ($4.20) closed out Saturday's action with a 1:51.1 five-length romp in the $25,000 final of a conditioned Pop-Up Series for male pacers. All Bets On Tex (Brett MacDonald) and Control The Power (Travis Cullen) finished second and third behind the victorious Tony Beaton trainee. The series was open to non-winners of $15,000 in 2025 or not averaging $1,400 per start in 2024 or 2025 in a minimum of eight starts.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of 2025 Ontario Sired Spring Series winners, clockwise from top left, Time Passer, Debra, Better In Heels and Modelo Gold)