The first Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series final of the season for the two-year-old pacing fillies was contested at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday evening, and Team McNair toted home the hardware thanks to a gutsy win with an inexpensive filly named Tiz To Dream
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The daughter of Grinfromeartoear-Extreme Dream, who was plucked from the 2008 Forest City Yearling Sale for a mere $9,000 by partners Gregg McNair and Paul Kidd, saw her lifetime bankroll swell to $89,424 thanks to her gate-to-wire score in a career-best clocking of 1:54.
Doug McNair mapped out the winning trip with the Gregg McNair pupil, who laid down panels of :26.2, :57.2 and 1:26.2 before kicking home in :27.3 to seal the deal. Tiz To Dream had a length to spare at the finish line as she held off a late surge from pocket-sitter Striking Terror, who held on for the runner-up award despite making a late break. St Lads Trixie, who did the first-over work in the final half of the mile, was third.
“I was hoping I could go to the front and get some easier fractions because I gave her a tough trip last week,” said driver Doug McNair. “She wasn’t 100% last week, but this week we had her 100% and she raced awesome. I was on top by a couple of lengths at the quarter pole, but I got a nice second quarter breather. She got a little tired late, but she’s a nice filly.”
Tiz To Dream, who now boasts a 2-1-1 record in four tries, and the other rookie pacing fillies will have their next round of OSS Gold Series eliminations at Mohawk Racetrack on Sunday, August 9.
To view Monday’s harness racing results, click here.