It was the Sylvain Filion show on Friday night (July 15) at Woodbine Mohawk Park as the multiple O'Brien Award-winning reinsman turned in a six-win performance that included a sweep of the third leg of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots for three-year-old trotting fillies.
Filion scored his Grassroots double during the 11-race card with divisional leader Stormont Molly and Resolving.
Perfect through the first two legs of the Grassroots Series, Stormont Molly ($6.40) lowered her lifetime mark to 1:54.4 in a $23,400 division for trainer Kevin Benn.
Firing off the gate from post five, Stormont Molly got the first call and looped back to the lead after the :27.3 opening quarter when post 10 starter Muscle Up The Gold (Bob McClure) made a bid for the top spot. As 2-1 second choice Stormont Molly retook the lead, 3-5 favourite Hang On Baby (Trevor Henry) followed hot on her heels and took over at the half in :56.3. The bettors' choice continued to lead the way to three-quarters in 1:26 but Stormont Molly was not done and battled past that rival in the stretch to win going away. Hang On Baby settled for second, finishing 2-1/2 lengths behind, while Saint Antoine (Austin Sorrie) closed from the backfield for third.
Unraced as a two-year-old, the Angus Hall-Stormont Fried filly is now four-for-nine this year with $42,530 in purse earnings for owner/breeder Stormont Meadows.
The Rob Fellows-trained filly Resolving ($9.90) was a tick faster, leading all the way in her $23,000 division for a career-best 1:54.3 victory.
Filion sent Resolving, the 7-2 third choice, to the front from post five and the filly was never seriously threatened once she cleared into the first turn. She set fractions of :28, :57.2 and 1:26 en route to the 2-3/4-length victory. Angelonia (James MacDonald) followed in the pocket to place while 2-1 favourite Socks N Crocs (Doug McNair) came on to show.
The Resolve-Sunshinenlollipops filly, who was a one-time Gold winner at two, has earned two victories from six starts this year to push her bankroll to $148,890 for owners Yolanda Fellows, Blair Corbeil and Edward Seagrave.
Filion also teamed up with trainer Richard Moreau for a pair of victories in rein to Century Gigalo ($6.80) and Julerica ($8.80). The Milton, Ont. reinsman's other Friday night winners were Best Keepsake ($16.90) for conditioner Tony Beaton and OSS graduate Voelz Delight ($6.60) from the Ben Baillargeon barn.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.