Beau Jangles moved his undefeated record to a perfect 14-for-14 with a blowout victory by 9-1/2 lengths in the $131,475 SBOA Stakes for Ontario-sired three-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday, May 16 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
With a large crowd cheering them on, Beau Jangles and driver Bob McClure put on a show by taking off on their rivals going to three-quarters and posting a stakes-record time of 1:49.3.
The Dr. Ian Moore-trained Beau Jangles left out well for the front, while Windor (Doug McNair) and Tilthecowscomehome (Jody Jamieson) looked to sprint ahead. Windor got the top going into the turn with Tilthecowscomehome sitting parked to the outside of Beau Jangles at an opening quarter of :26.4. Tilthecowscomehome cleared to the lead entering the backstretch before immediately being overtaken by Beau Jangles, who moved out of third to the top.
Off a half of :55.4, Beau Jangles started to ramp up the tempo approaching the three-quarter pole, leading by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:23.3. Beau Jangles then powered home in :26 and extended his margin with ease for the 1:49.3 win. Borderline Mobby (James MacDonald) won the well-back battle for second over Windor.
Following his SBOA victory, McClure noted just how ready the son of Cattlewash-Mrs Major Hill was for his second start of the season.
“Tonight, you could feel him vibrating in the harness,” said McClure. “Doc (Moore) told me before the race ‘he’s ready to go’…he was just vibrating and wanted to get at it.
“He’s such a pro. Halfway around the last turn, I didn’t want to risk getting out-sprinted or a sprint making it close, so I started chirping to him and talking to him, and he throttled into another gear and halfway down the lane he shut himself down. It’s scary how easy he can go those miles.”
Moore trains Beau Jangles, the defending dual Horse of the Year, for owners Graham Grace Stables LLC of Clifton, Va., Kiwi Stables LLC of La Plata, Md. and Bolton Stables of Clermont, Fla. The top-ranked contender for this year’s Pepsi North America Cup now has $1,766,988 in career earnings.
“I’ll see how he comes out of this race and if all is well, we’ll probably do the (Ontario Sires Stakes) Gold next week," Moore said. "Then we’ll have to miss the Somebeachsomewhere to have a couple weeks to get him ready for the North America Cup.”
With no Place and Show wagering available, $124,154 of $132,999 in the Win pool was wagered on Beau Jangles.
The first Gold event of the season for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings will take place next Saturday, May 23.
O’Brien Award winner Strobe Lite grabbed his first win of the season in the $130,475 SBOA Final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Entering off a traffic-troubled runner-up finish in his elimination, Strobe Lite and driver James MacDonald avoided any repeats by marching to the lead in the second quarter and never looking back. Strobe Lite settled early in third after First Class Mass (Louis-Philippe Roy) made a break. Dream For Peace (Billy Davis Jr.) at 18-1 posted a :28.2 opening quarter before handing over the lead to the backstretch-moving Strobe Lite.
The Ben Baillargeon-trained Strobe Lite put up fractions of :57.4 and 1:26.2 before completing the victory with a :27.2 final quarter for the 1:53.4 mile. Dream For Peace, who couldn’t find room up the rail on the leader until the very final stride, finished second by a length. Touchedbyanangel completed the triactor.
A son of Alarm Detector-Shine Bright, Strobe Lite now has four wins and $451,409 earned for owners Baillargeon of Guelph, Ont., Claude Hamel of Orford, Que., Nunzio Vena of Bolton, Ont. and Glengate Farms of Erin, Ont..
“He’s a horse I’ve been looking forward to all winter,” said MacDonald. “There’s always a little bit of pressure and I think Ben was a little worried last week. I told him he raced well, but when they don’t win, in the back of your head you’re worried. It was great to see him just do his job tonight and everything I asked.”
Strobe Lite paid $2.80 to win.
The Julie Walker-trained Blue Jean Gal went a long first-up trip and kept on marching to win the $142,725 SBOA Final for three-year-old trotting fillies.
Driven by James MacDonald, Blue Jean Gal got away fifth in a :28.4 opener, leaving from a post-five draw after winning her elimination. The daughter of Trixton-Pine Knolls tipped out partway up the backstretch and started making her way after leader Cher Hill (Doug McNair), who had just cleared to the lead before reaching the half in :58.
After a three-quarter clocking of 1:26.2, Blue Jean Gal took the lead at the head of the lane and never looked back to win in 1:55.4. My Ghost (Louis-Philippe Roy) finished well for second, beaten 1-1/4 lengths, while Lo And Behold (Mark MacDonald) was third.
Last season’s Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Final winner, Blue Jean Gal is now two-for-two this season and nine-for-11 overall.
“I know my filly can carry her speed a long way, and her best quality is her toughness,” said MacDonald. “I tried not to get in a rush, and when the paced slowed up I just started grinding away and tried to work my way inch-by-inch, and she did the rest.”
Owned by the Estate of Leonard Gamble, Blue Jean Gal has now earned $182,363. She paid $3.10 to win.
O’Brien Award winner A Clean Deal followed up a big effort in her elimination to win Saturday’s $138,725 SBOA Final for three-year-old pacing fillies in 1:51.
Piloted by Doug McNair, A Clean Deal shot from post five to get away second behind P N G Shadow (Louis-Philippe Roy) through a :27.4 opening quarter. With other elimination winner Shes A Bulldog (Bob McClure) on her back, A Clean Deal made a quick loop to the lead entering the backstretch and got to the half in :56.2.
Shes A Bulldog moved out from third at the half to make a charge at A Clean Deal, with the fillies sprinting to three-quarters in 1:23.2. In the stretch, A Clean Deal had Shes A Bulldog put away and just needed to hold off a late push from P N G Shadow to close out the win by a neck. Malicia Speed (Travis Cullen) was third.
A daughter of Cattlewash-Ideal Talker, A Clean Deal is trained by Kyle Fellows for owners Yolanda Fellows of Rockwood, Ont., Blair Corbeil of Leduc, Alta., Windermere Stable LLC of New York, N.Y. and James Ross of Wingham, Ont.
“She just keeps going…she’s all heart,” said McNair. “A few times last year you’d think she’s beat, and then she just opens up down by the wire. Tonight, (P N G Shadow) was getting to her, but I figured she’d kick back in. She knows her job and did it well.”
A Clean Deal has an almost-flawless career record at eight wins in nine starts. Now two-for-two on the season, the Fellows trainee has $536,327 in career earnings.
A $2 win ticket returned $2.80.
Brue Hanover headlined an undercard triple for trainer Dave Menary with a 1:50.3 score in the $40,000 Open Pace. Starting from the rail, the six-year-old son of Stay Hungry-Blind Ambition initially took the pocket behind Poseidon Seelster (Bob McClure) but slid out as Its Saturday Night (Louis-Philippe Roy) rushed up from post six, putting that one three-wide into the first turn. Brue Hanover had the front for James MacDonald passing the quarter in :27.1 before releasing Its Saturday Night, who went on to set middle fractions of :55.4 and 1:23.2. Brue Hanover and Poseidon Seelster spread out down the lane to make it a three-horse dash to the wire, and Brue Hanover finished gamely to win by a neck over Poseidon Seelster. Its Saturday Night was third.
Brue Hanover, a 2025 O'Brien Award finalist, ended a run of four straight place finishes to take his fifth win of the season in 12 starts. He is now 36-for-98 lifetime and has earned $813,265. Last year's Mohawk Gold Cup winner is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown, Pa. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, Pa. He paid $4.10 to win.
Menary also scored with Scorpion Seelster ($4), who rebounded after breaking in his SBOA elim last week, and Backup Plan ($6.10). The trainer is winning at a 27.2 per cent rate this year with 49 wins in 180 starts.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Woodbine & Standardbred Canada)