It was wall-to-wall freshmen at Georgian Downs on Tuesday evening, as the Ontario Sires Stakes program rolled into town featuring eight divisions for pacing colts
and geldings.
Winbak Warrior was treated to a second-over trip in the opening division by driver James MacDonald, and the son of Royal Mattjesty-Fit N Fancy had no problem roaring away from his foes when called on to do so in the lane. In fact, he drew clear to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Cheer Me Home in 1:56.1. Shipps Xplosion came on late to grab the show dough.
Bred and owned by Winbak Farm of Chesapeake City, MD, Winbak Warrior is now 1-for-2 to start his career for trainer Blake MacIntosh.
Piston Broke parked past to the quarter pole in :29.1 before clearing and supplying panels of :58.4 and 1:28.1. He used a :28.3 final frame to seal the deal in 1:56.4. It was two lengths back to runner-up Creighton Hanover, with Modern Xhibit grabbing third prize.
Sylvain Filion mapped out the winning trip for the son of Shark Gesture-Rebid, who was sent off as the 3-5 favourite for owner/trainer Rob Fellows of Rockwood, ON. The colt, who was making his second lifetime start, was a $23,000 purchase from last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale.
Machal Jordan marched to the lead and didn’t look back in his division for the tandem of driver J.R. Plante and trainer Ken Switzer. Plante was parked past the quarter pole in :28 before finding the lead and supplying middle fractions of :57.3 and 1:27 before finishing off the competition with a :28.3 closing quarter. The son of Mach Three-Marg N Jan drew clear to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Big Unit in 1:55.3. Windsong Ike came first over and finished third.
Sent off as the 3-5 choice, Machal Jordan broke his maiden for owners Brenda Selwyn Waxman and Isaac Waxman of Dundas, ON. The colt was a $40,000 purchase from last year’s Canadian Yearling Sale.
The same connections came right back to take the next division with Machal Angelo, who won as he pleased in an impressive clocking of 1:54.4. J.R. Plante mapped out the front-stepping score with the son of Mach Three-Island Hussy, who successfully chopped out intervals of :27.4, :58.1 and 1:27 en route to defeating Hard To Mach by a neck. Late Nite Flight was a distant third.
Ken Switzer trains the colt for partners Brenda Selwyn Waxman and Isaac Waxman of Dundas, ON. The colt was a $30,000 purchase from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale.
Rocky Regal was in no hurry in the early stages of his OSS Grassroots assignment, but he really turned on the jets late en route to posting a two-length decision in 1:57.2 for driver Trevor Henry. The son of Stonebridge Regal-Roses From Above tracked cover from second over in the final half of the contest and then used a :28.1 closing quarter to win in going away fashion over race favourite Secretsoftheknight. Mister Icon rounded out the top three finishers.
Allen Tomlinson trains the homebred, who was a winner at first asking for owners Dale Larson of Cedar Springs and Pamela Larson of Kent City, MI.
Shore Light turned a two-hole trip into a maiden-breaking triumph in his division, and the assist went to driver Doug McNair who was pulling double duty on Tuesday night. After guiding Swinging Beauty to an easy win in the Town Pro Stakes at Mohawk earlier in the evening, the young reinsman made his way to Georgian Downs to be a part of a 15-1 upset behind Shore Light, who tracked Fenian Hanover through panels of :27.2, :57.4 and 1:26 before using a :28.1 final frame to overtake that foe and post a 1:54.3 victory. Fenian Hanover was just a quarter of a length behind the winner, with Espen De Vie finishing a distant third.
Trainer Todd Cantelon shares ownership on the son of Armbro Deuce-Beach Light with James Cantelon of Thornton, ON, and together they’ve watched the rookie bank just over $14,000. He was purchased for $10,500 from last year’s Canadian Yearling Sale.
True To Mach used last second heroics for driver Phil Hudon to grab his second OSS trophy of the season thanks to his come-from-behind tally on Tuesday evening. The son of Mach Three-True To Life, who broke his maiden at Woodstock in the first OSS Grassroots event of the season on July 1, came from sixth at the head of the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in Tuesday’s follow-up assignment. He posted the 1:56 win over My Lucky Killean and Terem Up Louie.
Jim Ainsworth trains the homebred colt for his father, Larry Ainsworth, of Petrolia, ON and Bill Boden, who bred the freshman, of Vancouver, BC.
R Gauwitz Hanover also found his way to the winner’s circle for the second time in his career thanks to a 1:57.2 triumph in the final division. Gord Brown rallied the Mark Steacy-trained son of Modern Art-Romanesca Hanover to the quarter-length victory over North Shore Boy in 1:57.2. OK Ebury rallied from out of the clouds to be a lapped-on third.
Sent off at odds of 6-1, R Gauwitz Hanover improved his record to 2-0-1 in three tries for the partnership of Katherine Steacy, Landmark IV Racing Stable and Bridle Path Stables Ltd. The colt, who was purchased for $30,000 from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, has banked close to $16,000 to date.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Georgian Downs.