Mohawk Racetrack played host the first OSS event of the 2009 season on Sunday evening, with three-year-old trotting fillies strutting their stuff in a trio of $40,000
OSS Gold Series eliminations.
In the first tilt, Cumin First throttled the competition by close to seven lengths for the tandem of trainer Frank O’Reilly and driver Rick Zeron. The daughter of Striking Sahbra, who was making her 2009 debut, halted the teletimer in a career-best clocking of 1:56.3.
Zeron made the early lead with the filly, who released Striking Fashion to the engine just as the quarter pole flashed up in :29 seconds. Cumin First was right back out for the retake as soon as the field entered the backstretch, and it was lights out from that point on. She led through middle splits of :58.1 and 1:27.3 before tacking on :29-second final quarter speed to seal the deal. Mystic River rallied to finish second and third prize was earned by Cuddler.
“She got a bit bigger and filled out and she qualified well for me,” said driver Rick Zeron. “She got a bit hot tonight post parading and going behind the gate; I had to keep an eye on her. She was listening to see if anyone else was coming; she had her ears moving back and forth. She was pretty full of herself finishing up tonight.”
Mary Anne Lauzon, Dr. Ruth Irving, Jim Fielding and John Jesson own the six-time winner who now boasts $279,200 in career earnings.
The first upset of the OSS season was turned in by Mets Inn and Randy Waples, who teamed up for a 17-1 in the second elimination. The daughter of Mutineer stopped the clock in 1:57.4 for her first win in just two lifetime starts.
Waples and Mets Inn were parked to the quarter pole in :29.2 by odds-on favourite Daylon Mystique, who gave up the lead and came right back around to re-claim the lead. Daylon Mystique threw down middle fractions of :59 and 1:28.3, but she couldn’t sustain her speed to the wire.
Mets Inn was launched to the outside at the head of the stretch, and she used a :29-second final quarter to propel herself to the win. Chicy Micky kicked on strong in deep stretch to finish second while third prize was shared by the dead-heating tandem of Magic Sassy and Daylon Mystique.
“Last week I got her in a bad position and I never gave her a chance to race,” said driver Randy Waples. “It was her first start and I didn’t know what to expect because it was the first time I drove her and I just tried to get her around. I had her in a bad spot at the head of the lane. She had lots of trot on the end of the mile, so I wanted to get her up close tonight and give her a chance. She got a really trip tonight, and she comes from a really good barn.”
Bred and owned by Winbak Farm of Chesapeake City, MD, Mets Inn hangs her harness bag in the barn of trainer John Bax.
A costly break behind the starting gate took race favourite Dont Wear PJs out of the equation in the third elimination, and that was music to the ears of Butana and driver Chris Christoforou. Bred, owned and trained by Charalambos Christoforou, the Angus Hall miss sailed past tiring leaders in deep stretch to take her split in 1:57.
Chris Christoforou was in no hurry with his charge, who tucked into the five-hole while Justwin rolled the field to the quarter pole in :27.4 before giving way to Lunar Stream at the half-mile marker in :57. Friendly Amigo blasted to the top heading into the final turn, and she sprinted to the three-quarter pole in 1:26 before letting go.
Christoforou worked out a second-over trip in the final half for his filly and simply had to show her racetrack in the lane en route to the 1:57 decision. SOS Respect also passed the tiring leaders to grab the runner-up award. Third went to Baskin Wonder.
“We got away pretty good and I liked my spot; it looked good all the way and I was hoping she’d kick home like she has been and she did,” said driver Chris Christoforou. “She wasn’t mentally ready to race last year, and even physically she needed to fill out a little more. She’s a bit bigger and stronger this year and it seems to be helping her.”
After going 0-for-2 as a rookie, Butana is now 2-for-2 to start her sophomore campaign.
The $130,000 OSS Gold Series Final goes next Sunday evening at Mohawk Racetrack. Here’s how the fillies will line up on the gate:
$130,000 OSS Gold Series Final
1. Cumin First
2. Chicy Micky
3. Magic Sassy
4. SOS Respect
5. Daylon Mystique
6. Mets Inn
7. Mystic River
8. Cuddler
9. Butana
10. Baskin Wonder
To view Sunday’s results, click here.