It was a busy Thursday night for the Ontario Sires Stakes as Woodbine Mohawk Park hosted six Grassroots divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Summer Charm was a popular winner in her $23,500 division for the tandem of driver Louis Philippe Roy and trainer Richard Moreau.
The daughter of Bettors Delight-Lover Of Art got away third before motoring up to grab the lead in the backstretch. Family First led to the quarter pole, but it was Summer Charm who was in charge through middle panels of :56.4 and 1:26.2. A :29-second closing quarter was more than enough for Summer Charm to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Behavenmyself in 1:55.2. Family First tagged along to finish third.
Sent off as the odds-on favourite, Summer Charm won for the first time this season and for the third time in her career. The winner of $235,973 is owned by Thomas and Scott Dillon of Anson, ME.
Cinderella Delight pulled off a 5-1 mini upset in her $23,500 assignment for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Bill Budd.
Jamieson hustled the daughter of Bettors Delight-Modern Cinderella to the lead from Post 9, and together they had the field chasing past the quarter pole in :28. Crisp Man swept to the top in the backstretch, but was later overtaken by race favourite Whitehaven Beach at the mid-way point in :57.2. Whitehaven Beach sprinted past the three-quarter marker in 1:26.2, but she was overtaken by a pair of foes in the closing. Cinderella Delight used a :27.3 kicker to win by a head over Crisp Man in 1:54.4. Whitehaven Beach came up a neck short while finishing third.
Bruce Norris, Michael Guerriero and Kenneth Ewen own the filly who won for the first time this season and for the third time in her career. The lion’s share of the purse boosted her bankroll to $53,176.
Swift Ally used come-from-behind tactics to take home the winner’s share of the $23,850 offered up in the third division.
Manhattan Night powered to the lead and sliced through fractions of :27.1, :56 and 1:25.3 before coming under attack in the lane. Even-money favourite Swift Ally, who was far back in the early stages of the mile, swung wide for the drive and kicked home in :28.1 to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Manhattan Night in 1:54.4. D Gs Fairystars took home third prize.
Doug McNair mapped out the winning trip for the Gregg McNair-trained homebred. Gregg shares ownership on the daughter of Big Jim-Claires Apache with Ian Fleming of Londesborough, Ont. After going unraced as a rookie she’s managed to assemble a 5-0-1 record from seven attempts. She’s put $40,465 in the bank to date.
Sporty Tori gave driver Doug McNair back-to-back stakes scores thanks to her victory in a career-best clocking of 1:54.2 in the fourth division.
McNair was in no hurry with the Sportswriter-Tisforitwo lass who watched Erikas Shadow and Full Moon Fix take turns on the lead through panels of :27.2, :56.3 and 1:26.1. Sporty Tori followed cover from third over and then used a :27.3 closing quarter to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Full Moon Fix. Rounding out the Trifecta ticket was Erikas Shadow.
Gord McKnight trains the photogenic filly for M&S Racing Stable Inc of Rockwood, Ont. The victory was her ninth of the season from 12 trips to the track. In her first season of racing she’s managed to stash away earnings totalling $53,770.
Springbridgevision was treated to a sweet, second over trip in the final division, and she didn’t let it go to waste for the team of driver James MacDonald and trainer Andrew Moore.
Arya Stark shot to the front and had the field chasing her through intervals of :28, :57.4 and 1:26.3. Sweet Young Thing made a first-over move past the half, and glued to her cover was Springbridgevision. Arya Stark and Sweet Young Thing battled to the head of the lane, and as the field turned for home Springbridgevision tipped off cover and kicked into gear. She stepped home in :28.1 to win by three-quarters of a lengths over Arya Stark in 1:55.2. Saulsbrook Jessie was a locked in third.
Andrew Moore owns the daughter of Shadow Play-Stonebridge Vision with Allan Moore, Tommy Godfrey and Charles Farrell. The partners watched the filly improve her 2019 record to 6-0-1 from 12 trips to the track. The seven-time winner boosted her cash stash to $79,786 with the win.
The quickest division on the 10-race program was the final one, and it went to So Much More in a career-best clocking of 1:52.2.
Trevor Henry rolled the daughter of Big Jim-Ladysal to the top, and together they carved out panels of :27, :55.4 and 1:24 before firing home in :28.2 to win by 6-3/4 lengths over Kylie Seelster. Freya Seelster was third.
Now a 10-time winner from 15 trips to the track, So Much More pushed her bankroll to $50,215 for trainer Don Beatson who shares ownership on the photogenic filly with Ken Beatson and Cole England.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.