Sprite Seelster rewrote the track record for a sophomore trotting filly at Grand River Raceway as she captured the sole third-leg $140,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold event for her division on Wednesday, July 16.
A field of eight battled in the Gold for three-year-old distaff trotters, which went as Race 7 on the card.
Exquisite Taste (Louis-Philippe Roy) led the field through a :26.3 quarter, followed by Lil Sweet (Doug McNair), Sprite Seelster (Tyler Borth), and Roxie Hart (Travis Cullen). As the field passed the grandstand for the first time, Borth had Sprite Seelster out and rolling, reaching the lead before the midway mark. The filly controlled the race from there through the :56 half and the 1:24.4 three-quarters and defeated Exquisite Taste by a half-length in 1:54. Stormont Beautiful (Bob McClure) flew home to get third. The win price was $4.
The win was the second Gold triumph of the year for Sprite Seelster, a daughter of Green Manalishi S out of Speak Of The Devil, bred by Seelster Farms. Sprite Seelster is now 3-2-2 in seven starts this year and 4-3-2 in 14 lifetime outings. Her bankroll improved to $192,001 in 2025 and $240,348 lifetime. She is trained by Katie MacNeil for owners Elite Equine LLC of St. Thomas, Ont. and her driver, Borth, of Ingersoll, Ont. She was sold as a yearling for $40,000 at the 2023 London Classic Yearling Sale.
The 1:54 clocking cut two ticks off the mark set by R Liza last year in a Gold race. Sprite Seelster also tied the overall three-year-old trotting track record, now jointly-held by Paquet.
Galen Erso won the lone $140,000 Gold dash for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings in Race 4, defeating six rivals.
Lookatmegoamigo (Roy), Fast Snap (Chris Christoforou), Galen Erso (McNair) and P L Spencer (McClure) all pushed off the gate and raced in that order through fractions of :27 and :56.4. At the half, McNair put Galen Erso into gear with McClure following his lead with P L Spencer. Galen Erso went to the top before three-quarters in 1:24.3 with P L Spencer to his outside, and then the battle was on in the stretch. Ultimately, Galen Erso prevailed by a neck over P L Spencer, the 3-5 favourite, in 1:54.1, with LMC Wagon Wheel (Borth) swooping up for third. The winner returned $17.10.
Galen Erso earned his first Gold victory of 2025 after winning three legs of the series as a freshman. He finished fifth and ninth in his two previous Gold tries this year. The win improved Galen Erso to 3-1-0 in seven 2025 starts and 6-3-1 in 14 career outings while upping his seasonal bankroll to $164,606 and his lifetime haul to $365,274. The Gregg McNair-trained son of Green Manalishi S out of Wygant Princess was bred by Marcus Melander and is owned by Brad Grant of Milton, Ont.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results - Grand River Raceway.
(With files from Ontario Racing)