With the May 21st deadline getting closer, to enter the 2nd annual COSA Fantasy Stable Contest, driver Scott Young delivered his thoughts on the team he’ll select for the 2021 COSA contest.
The 2020 William Wellwood winning driver, who was James MacDonald’s top choice for Group C, Young highlighted the three-year-old pacing filly Scarlett Hanover whom he selected for Group N, and predicted she will have another astounding season.
“Scarlett Hanover is not only an OSS caliber filly, she has shown she can compete at a Grand Circuit level as well. She won the Battle Of The Belles last year fairly early in the season and was still around to compete in the Breeders Crown at the end of the year. She has the potential to have another really great stakes season.”
As a rookie, Scarlett Hanover earned $449,690 in 14 starts. The daughter of Bettors Delight posted victories in the Battle Of The Belles, Champlain Stakes and OSS Super Final for trainers Ashleigh Hensley and Ron Burke. As Young mentioned, Scarlett Hanover also stuck around for the end of the season where she finished third in the Breeders Crown Final for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Young also offered up his high hopes for Macho Martini, who highlighted the list of Group Q for three-year-old trotting colts.
“Macho Martini was beyond dominant in last year’s OSS program and I can only imagine he will come back bigger and stronger this year. He was a very mature colt last year so I would have to think that this year he will be even more mature. I would imagine he will be at the top of the Gold division this year as well. He is a very talented colt.”
Moving to the human end of the spectrum, Young offered up his reasons for choosing driver Bob McClure in Group A and trainer Shawn Steacy in group E.
“Bob dominated the OSS program last year and always seems to get a fair amount of power to work with, I have no doubt in my mind that this year would be any different. He is also the main driver for Determination - so naturally, I’ll be cheering for him.
The Steacy family always seems to have quality stakes-caliber racehorses. Their two and three-year-olds are always ready to race and are always ready to last the entire stakes season. They also usually have a variety of young horses that fit the entire sire stakes program, like having both two and three-year-old trotters and pacers.”
When it comes to sires, similar to James MacDonald, Young chose the late Kadabra as his choice for Group I.
“Like what James said, Kadabra always has a couple standouts every year. He has been a very dominant sire since he started his stallion career, and with his passing it is nice to honour him as well.”
Group A: Bob McClure
Group B: James MacDonald
Group C: Scott Young
Group D: Luc Blais
Group E: Shawn Steacy
Group F: John Bax
Group G: Sportswriter
Group H: Betterthancheddar
Group I: Kadabra
Group J: Resolve
Group K: Bulldog Hanover
Group L: Twin B Fighter
Group M: Second Bruiser
Group N: Scarlett Hanover
Group O: Best Keepsake
Group P: Postscript
Group Q: Macho Martini
Group R: Sweet Soul David
Group S: Mystic
Group T: Dashing Muscle
Group U: Dicentra
Group V: Classy Carol
Group W: Bettor Dance
Group X: Alternate Universe
Group Y: Beacon Seelster
Group Z: Theresa Blue Chip
Group AA: Bettorputaringonit
Group BB: Miss Motivate
Group CC: Creed Hanover
Group DD: Kevins Playmate
Group EE: Wania
Group FF: Trade Secret
Group GG: Tijuana Seelster
Group HH: Dazzle The Crowd
The top 20 finishers in the 2021 COSA Fantasy Stable Contest will all win great prizes, with the Grand Prize, worth over $4,000, being a night in a private suite at Woodbine Mohawk Park, complete with $2,500 in betting vouchers and $1,500 in food and drink.
Entry is FREE - click here to enter.