Cheesy Smile will try for her second consecutive stakes win as sophomore pacing fillies take centre stage on Friday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park with more than $205,000 in total purses split across two Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold divisions.
The 2022 Super Final winner won her last start, the $129,500 SBOA Stakes, by sitting off a hot early pace, and despite being stuck in traffic was able to close from eighth at the three-quarter pole to win by nearly a length.
“I was really impressed. She closed from kind of a hard spot,” said trainer John Pentland, who owns the filly with R C Molyneux Racing, Peter Charlton and Archie Leach. “She was caught in a bad spot and to be able to win that race from there, that was a big win.”
Her late charge down the lane was a typical finish for the daughter of Betterthancheddar. She has six career wins and has never been higher than third heading into the final quarter mile of those races. She was fourth as the field entered the stretch in her Super Final win.
“That is her style. She is a closer,” said Pentland. “She has a real kick and she can carry it for at least a quarter of a mile. Sometimes it works out great and she’s second or third-over and she is right there within striking distance, and sometimes it doesn’t.
Last year, Cheesy Smile was a force to be reckoned with in the OSS. She was 4-2-0 in six OSS starts and earned $291,525 in the provincial program.
On Friday at Woodbine Mohawk Park, she’ll face a stout field including two-time OSS winner Big Big Plans.
“Freshen Up is also racing really good and so is Savethelastdance,” said Pentland. “Savethelastdance is a big threat all the time. She has so much talent.”
Bob McClure is driving Cheesy Smile, the 2-1 morning line favourite, from post two in the $102,200 sixth race.
Race four is the other OSS Gold division and it features the SBOA Stakes runner-up Lyons Bettorday.
Lyons Bettorday's freshman highlight came in the final Gold leg, which went for the maximum amount of $159,000 and she paced a mile in 1:51.2 to take home the winner’s share of the purse. Her overall OSS record was 1-1-2 to earn nearly $140,000 in the program.
Anthony Beaton trains the daughter of Bettors Delight for owner Threelyonsracing. Louis-Philippe Roy will drive from post five.
The morning line favourite in the division is Ruthy B, who is making her OSS debut for Gregg McNair from post six. McNair co-owns the Big Jim filly with Grand Slam Stable and his son Doug will be in the racebike.
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Ontario Racing)