After earlier wins by Only For Justice ($3.70) and Dream Nation ($7.60), All Wrapped Up ($3.40) captured top billing in Sunday night's (July 21) Ontario Sires Stakes at Rideau Carleton Raceway with a resounding 1:54.1 score in the $72,266 third division.
Louis-Philippe Roy sent the gelded son of Archangel to a clear lead from post 5, and the pair controlled comfortable splits of :28.4, :58.1 and 1:26.1 while Gold Edition (Phil Hudon) stalked from the pocket. All Wrapped Up began to edge clear through the final turn, getting a three-length head start on the late-rallying Jumpshot (Mario Baillargeon) off the home turn. In the end, All Wrapped Up prevailed by 3-3/4 lengths over Jumpshot, while a tiring Gold Edition held third.
Trainer Rob Fellows co-owns six-time winner All Wrapped Up with Arpad Szabo, Blair Corbeil and Mike McAllister. The win was his first in Ontario Sires Stakes competition. His 1:54.1 time earned him a track and Canadian record for three-year-old trotting geldings on a five-eighths mile track.
“I always thought he was one of the best of his division, if he behaves,” Roy told the OSS publicity team. “Tonight [Rob] made a few changes on his equipment, adding trotting hopples, and he was all business. He was still very strong at the wire.”
In the $71,467 second division, Dream Nation rode the pocket before upending odds-on choice Southwind Avenger in a thrilling stretch duel. Sylvain Filion and Dream Nation yielded control of the terms to Southwind Avenger (Trevor Henry) at the completion of a :28.4 first quarter before drafting in a clear pocket through middle splits of :57.4 and 1:26.4. On the final turn, Dream Nation angled out of the pocket and dueled to a narrow lead with a sixteenth to go. Despite Southwind Avenger's best efforts, Dream Nation clung to an head victory in 1:54.4, while Esa (Baillargeon) finished third after stalking the top pair throughout.
Now a seven-time winner, Dream Nation races for trainer Jacques Dupont and the partnership of Les Ecuries Dorleans Inc., Ecurie CSL, Gestion C Levesque 2005 and Marc Camirand. The win was his first in stakes competition this year after winning three Ontario Sires Stakes events as a freshman.
The $71,467 first split saw Only For Justice and Chris Christoforou coast to a 1:56 win under no pressure at all. The Justice Hall gelding cleared easily from post 6 and led Manatlas (Doug McNair) through sectionals of :29.2, :58.3 and 1:28.1 before accelerating late to prevail by 1-3/4 lengths. Manatlas held second, while JMR Pinarello (Henry) checked in another 8-1/4 lengths back for third.
“He [won] at Flamboro, easy, so we think he can be alright in the (June 15) Goodtimes and the next (June 24) Gold, but he make a mistake in the Gold and he was sick in the Goodtimes Final,” said Fontaine. “But after that he had a rest for two weeks and we go to Three Rivers (July 12), and at Three Rivers the competition is not very strong, you know, so he have a good training. And tonight, you know a short field like that and this horse he likes to leave the gate, he was good. He’s a nice horse.”
Dany Fontaine trains Only For Justice for Ecurie Gaetan Bono Inc.
In Grassroots action, CT Conabra (McNair, 1:56.1), Royale Elite (Jonathan Drury, 1:57) and Cool Clifford (Filion, 1:56) captured their respective splits.
To view Sunday evening's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.