Johnny Angel opened the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings with an impressive closing kick to defeat the defending divisional champion Odds On Bullfrog on Friday, May 22 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
In the first and fastest of four $25,000 Grassroots divisions, the lightly raced Johnny Angel and driver James MacDonald advanced from mid-pack at the half-mile mark and went by the leading Odds On Bullfrog and Bob McClure as they turned for home. Johnny Angel sprinted home in a blistering :25.4 final quarter to stop the clock in 1:51.3, with Odds On Bullfrog chasing 1-1/2 lengths behind and Dr Dave rounding out the top three more than seven lengths back for Tyler Jones.
Unraced as a two-year-old, the Betterthancheddar-Duostep Hanover gelding has earned four wins and a second in just five career starts with $46,000 banked for trainer Nick Gallucci and owner/breeder Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont. Coming off a career-best 1:51.2 triumph last weekend when he showcased his quick closing speed, the nearly perfect Johnny Angel was the 1-9 overwhelming favourite and paid $2.20 to win and $2.10 to place. There was no show wagering.
The tandem of MacDonald and Gallucci just missed in the second split as 9-5 favourite Amicable came up a head short to the front-striding Dax Seelster (Bulldog Hanover-Deb), who was parked past a :26.3 quarter then held off his rivals to take a new mark of 1:52.2 with Travis Cullen driving for the Scott McEneny stable and owner Brad Grant of Milton, Ont.
Illicit Behavior (Bettors Delight-Pettycoat Business) was a popular late-closing winner, accelerating from fifth around the final turn and pacing home in :26.3 for a half-length score in a career-best 1:52 mile. Bob McClure drove the colt, who is trained by Shawn Steacy and owned by Landmark 18 Racing Stable of Lansdowne, Ont., Hudson Standardbred Stable of Hudson, Que., and David Reid of Sydenham, Ont.
Scorpion Seelster (Bulldog Hanover-Soiree Seelster) gave MacDonald a Grassroots driving double as the even-money favourite took the final division in 1:52.4 in front-end fashion when his main threat from the pocket broke stride off the final turn. The North America Cup eligible colt, who won last year's Harvest Series at Mohawk, is trained by David Menary for owner Kjell Andersen of Walchwil, Switzerland.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)