McPleasant wrapped up the third leg of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings with a 28-1 surprise on Friday night, July 19 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
McPleasant and driver James MacDonald pulled off the upset in the evening's third and final Grassroots division in a career-best 1:50.3, closing from the backfield with a :26.4 kicker for trainer Tony Beaton, who shares ownership of the colt with David Mercer.
McPleasant sat off the pace through splits of :27.1, :55 and 1:22.4 before picking off 6-5 second choice The Vicar (Louis-Philippe Roy) late, winning by one length. The Vicar, who had moved to the top at the midway mark after the parked out favourite Do Better (Sylvain Filion) broke stride, settled for second. Dancelike Ehskipper (Bob McClure) angled off the pylons to find a clear path in the stretch and got up for third.
McPleasant returned $59.20 for a $2 win ticket. Unraced as a two-year-old, the McWicked-Pleasant Roll colt has now won three of his nine starts.
A two-time Gold winner last year, Millar Farms' homebred Chain Gang ($2.70) also lowered his lifetime mark to 1:50.3 as he won his first start in the provincial program this year at the Grassroots level. Trevor Henry looped the Bettors Delight-Duostep Hanover colt to the lead over early leaver Century Komodo (Doug McNair) after a 28-second opening quarter and the 1-5 favourite cruised through middle splits of :56.1 and 1:24 before holding off that foe at the pylons by three-quarters of a length in a sprint to the finish. Gigitygigitygigty had the slight advantage in a show photo, nearly eight lengths behind the Nick Gallucci-trained winner.
The other division went to 7-2 third choice Sports Activator ($9.60), who earned his second Grassroots win of the season when he closed from third during a :27.1 final quarter to prevail in a career-best 1:51.2 by half a length over the front-striding Always A Thrill (Sylvain Filion), who finished with broken equipment, and the pylon-skimming Tamworth Boy (Jody Jamieson). Michael Armstrong trains the Sportswriter-Town Jiffy colt that boasts top two finishes in nine of his 10 sophomore starts for breeder Lloyd Howley and co-owner Lee Cullen.
The next Grassroots leg for the sophomore pacing colts is scheduled for Aug. 5 at Grand River Raceway.
Live harness racing continues at Mohawk on Saturday when there will be a Jackpot Hi-5 carryover of $333,110.64 and a mandatory payout offered for the Race 11 wager that requires horseplayers to select the top five finishers in order. An overflow field of 11 older pacers will close out the program. Horseplayers are reminded that #10 Hungry Man will start from the second tier, post 11, after originally drawing that position prior to the final changes. The #11 Poseidon Seelster will start from the second tier in post 12. The wager has a 20-cent minimum and a 15 per cent takeout. To download a free past performance program for Saturday, click here. Post time for Saturday's card is 7:10 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)