Muscle Up The Goal trotted the fastest mile by a two-year-old trotter in Canada this year on a five-eighths mile track when he won the first of three $70,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions on Sunday night at Georgian Downs.
A number of colts vied for the lead early in that division and the youngsters were three-wide on the front around the first turn. Pridecrest had control on the rail and clicked by the opening quarter in :29.1. Muscle Up The Goal, parked from the start, took over for Chris Christoforou before the :59.1 half and was at the third panel in 1:28.4. Muscle Up The Goal was strong through the stretch to win in a hard earned 1:57.3 over a hard closing Alacrity (sired by Pilgrims Taj) and Lets Be Honest (by Deweycheatumnhowe).
It was the second lifetime start for the son of Muscle Mass, who broke stride in his debut. Chris Beaver trains the winner for Synerco Ventures Inc. of Toronto.
The second split saw several breakers in the early going, but Delcrest Massy kept his mind on his work and was on the lead early to guide the field by the opening marker in :29.4. The easy-going colt remained on top by the half in 1:00.4. Dustin Jones pulled Dont Rush out from second before the 1:30.4 three-quarters. That pair battled down the late with Dont Rush getting up to win in 1:59.3 over a fast closing Luck O The Irish (by Holiday Road) and Delcrest Massy (by Muscle Mass).
It was the first lifetime victory and second start for Dont Rush, trained, owned and bred by Jones, who was given the breeding to the colt’s sire, European trotting star Infinitif, by longtime friend Jean Pierre Dubois.
In the third division, Muscles All Over was on top early and trotted by the first quarter in :30.1 and half in 1:01.4. Just before that point, Randy Waples tipped A Little More Love out from third and was head to head with the leader at the 1:30.3 three-quarters. As the field straightened for home, A Little More Love managed to head the field and hold off a late closing Platton Seelster (by Federal Flex) to win in 2:00.2. Muscles All Over (by Muscle Mass) was third.
Bob McIntosh of LaSalle, Ont. trains the winner, a homebred colt he co-owns with Dave Boyle of Bowmanville, Ont. This was the colt’s second lifetime start -- he finished second in the first. His dam, the Mr Lavec mare Miss Lovecky, is a half-sister to former OSS star Text Me ($931,000).
The next Gold event for this group will take place on July 21 at Mohawk Racetrack.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Georgian Downs.
(With files from OSS)