The top two finishers in the recent Goodtimes Trot were among Friday night's Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series winners as Mohawk Racetrack hosted a trio of $70,000 divisions for sophomore trotting colts along with another three for freshman pacing colts.
Stepping up from the Grassroots level, Kennel Buddy opened the card with a widening five length victory in 1:56.1 over the 'good' surface for the reigning Johnston Cup winning trainer Gregg McNair. With his son Doug driving, the favourite got away sixth before advancing on cover through fractions of :27.1, :56.3, and 1:27. He then unleashed a late stretch kick to blow by his rivals and shave a full second off his lifetime mark.
The Ken Warkentin-Bernice Daniece colt, who paid $5.40 to win, defeated front-stepper Renewal Notice (Billy Davis Jr.) and first over Ozzy Ozzy (Steve Condren).
Owned by his trainer, Kennel Buddy is now three-for-10 on the year and has five wins in 17 lifetime starts with earnings totalling $94,857.
Goodtimes Trot champion Flanagan Memory was back in the spotlight after capturing the second OSS division for driver Chris Christoforou. The favourite once again overcame a post eight start, like he did for his previous two wins this year. He settled away sixth and then scored a perfect second over trip through fractions of :28.1, :57.3, and 1:26.2 en route to a 1:55 triumph.
The winner returned $3.60 to his backers. First over Gotta Secret (Sylvain Filion) finished nearly three lengths behind in second while the front-stepping Buddy Hally (Doug McNair) rounded out the top three finishers.
Trainer Rene Dion co-owns the Kadabra-Classy Stacy colt with Liette Flanagan of Repentigny, Que. Flanagan Memory has hit the board in all five of his sophomore starts and is now five-for-13 in his career with earnings soaring over the $200,000 mark.
Goodtimes runner-up Toocool Forschool picked up his first OSS victory in the final trot division with Mike Saftic in the sulky. The favourite worked his way to the lead after the :27.1 opening panel and carved out middle splits of :55.4 and 1:24.4 before opening up more than eight lengths on his foes for the 1:54 triumph.
Toocool Forschool paid $3.40 to win. Beyond Sanity (Sylvain Filion), a 112-1 longshot, closed well from the backfield to place while Thankyoukessel (Randy Waples) finished third.
The Kadabra-Stonebridge Lane colt, who is now three-for-five this year, is trained by Glenn Lalonde for owners Roland Rocco of Lasalle, Que. and Benoit Gendron of Beaconsfield, Que. The victory was his fourth in 16 career starts and pushed his bankroll over the $200,000 plateau.
The OSS season for the freshman pacing colts kicked off with a sizzling :25.4 first quarter. Mister X (Mike Saftic) was on the hook for the speedy opening panel as he ran away on the field with a seven and a half length early lead, but the favoured pocket-sitter Cabs R Here (Randy Waples) reeled him in and swept to command during the second split. The new leader reached the half in :56.4 with Arthur Blue Chip and Jody Jamieson advancing first over from fourth and Steady Warrior (Sylvain Filion) rallying three-wide in pursuit of the top spot. Steady Warrior took over the lead and then opened up five lengths on his foes by the 1:24.4 third quarter station, but a :28-second final frame propelled first-time starter Arthur Blue Chip to the three-quarter length victory in 1:53.4.
The 2-1 second choice paid $6.20 to win. Steady Warrior and Cabs R Here finished second and third.
The Shadow Play-Advantest colt, who is a half-brother to Kenneth J ($1,592,755, 1:49.3), was purchased for $135,000 at the Harrisburg Sale as a yearling by Shadow One Stable of Guelph, Ont. Arthur Blue Chip is trained by Dr. Ian Moore, who campaigned the colt's millionaire sire.
P L Hellcat also made his career debut in OSS action a winning one with a 1:54 score carrying Christoforou back to the winner's circle.
Favourite Cluster Hanover (Jody Jamieson) put up a :27.3 opening quarter before being Falcon Justice (Paul MacDonell) swept from third to first during the second panel and reached the half in :57.4. At that point, P L Hellcat moved underway from fifth, moving within two lengths of the leader by the 1:26.4 third quarter mark. Kicking home in :26.4, P L Hellcat turned his two length deficit into a two length winning margin.
P L Hellcat paid $8 to win as the 3-1 third choice. A locked in Cluster Hanover eventually found room to shoot through for second, but made a late break and was lapped on by two horses at the wire. He was set back to fourth while Falcon Justice inherited second and Bugger Bruiser (Mike Saftic) was bumped up to third.
The homebred Mach Three-P L Angel colt is trained by Jeffrey Brooks for Prince Lee Acres of Uxbridge, Ont.
Shadowbriand provided Jamieson with a stakes double as he defeated slight favourite Blacktree in the final Gold division of the night in 1:54.4.
The Jack Darling trainee established the early lead from post two during a :27.4 opening panel before eventually giving way to Blacktree (Luc Ouellette) during the second quarter. Blacktree advanced from third and reached the half in :58, followed by three-quarters in 1:26.3, before Shadowbriand swept by in the stretch for the one and a half length victory.
The 9-5 second choice, who finished second in a dead-heat in his pari-mutuel debut on June 20, paid $5.60 to win. Twomickeytrip (Mario Baillargeon) finished third.
Another son of Shadow Play, the gelding out of Roman Art was purchased for just $10,000 in Harrisburg by the Jack Darling Stables Ltd. of Cambridge, Ont. He is a half-brother to Artriverderci ($706,751, 1:51.3).
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.