Century Farroh faced little challenge when posting a 1:50.2 win in the second of two $108,800 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold divisions on Saturday, May 25 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
“He’s really pleased us so far, that’s for sure,” said Dr. Ian Moore, who trains the colt for Ratchford Stable NS of North Sydney, NS. “He’s super, so they’re hopeful for a good season. They hope he can compete with the big boys next week. That’s what our plan is for now.”
Starting from post 6, driver Sylvain Filion put Century Farroh on the front just after a :26.2 opening quarter and the colt simply paced away from the field, sailing through a :54.2 half and 1:23 third quarter on his way to an eight-length victory. Better Up and No Ordinary Man battled through the wire for second and third respectively.
Century Farroh has not been bested in a race since last August. The Mach Three son finished his freshman season with four-straight victories, including his Grassroots Semi-final and the Championship, and then kicked off his sophomore campaign with a pair of wins earlier this month.
“He finished his year very well last year," Dr. Moore said. "He wasn’t raced real hard, reasonably lightly, and he grew and filled out and matured quite a bit over the winter. He grew a lot. I let his hopples out three inches and his head out five holes. A lot of the gear that he had on last year, he doesn’t wear it anymore, I took it all off. All he’s got is a head pole now on the inside, that’s it.”
In the first division driver Bob McClure sent Best In Show to the front from post 6 and the colt cruised through fractions of :27, :55.3 and 1:23.2 on his way to a three-quarter lengths victory in 1:50.3. Bronx Seelster charged late but could not reel in the pacesetter and settled for second while favourite Stag Party was three lengths back in third.
“I was very happy (to be asked to drive), and have been watching him for a few weeks,” said McClure, who had some time on his hands to watch Best In Show while recovering from a broken pelvis suffered in a qualifying race at Woodbine Mohawk Park on April 25. “He’s a very strong, powerful horse and will only get better with experience.”
It was the second-straight win for Best In Show, who is trained by Linda Toscano for owner-breeders Richard Young of Boca Raton, FL and Joanne Young of Coconut Creek, FL. The Bettors Delight son now has three starts under his belt this season to go along with three freshman starts. Toscano said the plan is to send the lightly raced colt to the June 1 Somebeachsomewhere and then re-evaluate before the June 8 Pepsi North America Cup eliminations.
Dr. Moore expects Best In Show and Century Farroh will be joined in the Somebeachsomewhere by a number of their peers, including Bronx Seelster and Stag Party, who both made their first start of the season in the first Gold division.
Following the open stake events in the coming weeks, the three-year-old pacing colts and geldings will return to OSS action, competing in their second Gold Series prelim at Woodbine Mohawk Park on June 29.
Lather Up returned to the scene of his biggest victory to win the $34,000 Preferred in 1:49 at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, May 25.
The 2018 Pepsi North America Cup champion headlined a field of seven for the top-class event and was sent off as the 2/5 favourite with Jody Jamieson steering for the first time.
Physicallyinclined took on an early battle to seize the lead and post solid opening fractions of :26 and :53.4. Lather Up and Jamieson angled out from fourth at the half and came first over on the far turn to lead by a neck at three-quarters in 1:21.4.
Lather Up stormed home effortlessly in :27.1 to win by just under five lengths in 1:49 with the ear plugs still in. Go West Go Fast finished second while Traceur Hanover was third and Physicallyinclined fourth.
A four-year-old son of Im Gorgeous, Lather Up provided his connections with a strong bounce-back performance after failing to make the final of the Confederation Cup in his most recent start. The Clyde Francis trainee now has two victories and $40,250 earned in three starts this season.
Lather Up is a homebred for Gary and Barbara Iles and now sports career numbers of 17 wins and $1.1 million earned. The Francis trainee is now expected to compete in next Saturday’s Graduate Series leg at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Live racing resumes Monday evening, May 27 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Post time is 7:10 p.m.
(With files from the Ontario Sires Stakes and Woodbine Mohawk Park)
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.