An army of two-year-old trotting colts and geldings marched into battle Monday evening at Mohawk Racetrack, as the oval hosted six OSS Grassroots divisions.
Lexus Magnum kicked things off with a 1:59.3 in his $18,000 split. James MacDonald worked out a two-hole trip for the youngster while Dream Persuasion whacked out fractions of :28.4, 1:00 and 1:29.3. Lexus Magnum angled off the rail in the lane and used a :29.2 kicker to win by a half-length margin over race favourite Mandeville. Dream Persuasion faded to finish third.
Norm Dunstan of Caledon Village, Ontario bred, owns and trains the gelded son of Windsong Espoir-Lexus Hall, who was sent off at odds of 6-1. He’s banked $13,500 to date.
Stormont Wizard took over command at the mid-way point of the second division, and once he cleared it was game over for the others. The colt, who proved to be the only favourite to win an OSS Grassroots division, led to the three-quarter pole of 1:30.3 and used a :29-second closing quarter to win by a neck over Great Magic in 1:59.3. Chuckalo Evan rounded out the top three finishers.
Rick Zeron mapped out the winning trip for the Kevin Benn-trained son of Kadabra-Stormont Cinderella. The homebred, who is owned by Stormont Meadows of Long Sault, Ontario, has banked $13,500 in his first two starts.
Hemi Seelster was collared in deep stretch in the third division, but he battled back for a 1:58.4 score for the tandem of driver Steve Byron and trainer John Bax. The gelding sat second through first-half fractions of :28.2 and :59 before sprinting past the tempo-setting Benvenuti on the final turn. Hemi Seelster had the lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:29.1, but he quickly came under heavy pressure from Pilgrims Joy. That foe took over command in deep stretch, but Hemi Seelster fought gamely to reclaim the lead en route to the 1:58.4 win. Pilgrims Joy was a neck back in second, with Winning Wizard third best.
John Bax trains the son of Holiday Road-Hollywood Beauty for Parkhill Stud Farm, Matt Bax, John Houston and Goin To The Show Stable. It was the second consecutive stakes score for the career winner of $18,000. He was a $19,000 purchase from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale.
Grandprix Seelster got off to a slow start in his OSS assignment, but he finished quicker than the competition en route to posting a 2:00.2 triumph for driver Randy Waples. The son of Federal Flex dug himself a 15-length hole at the quarter pole while sitting ninth, and things weren’t much better when he was nearly 14 lengths off the lead at the mid-way point. He improved steadily, however, in the back-half of the mile and when the leaders tired he fired out a :28.4 closing panel to secure the win by three-quarters of a length over Ontheroad De Vie. Taking home the show dough was Federal.
Trainer Pat Hunt of Cambridge co-owns the colt with Glengate Farms of Campbellville and Goldfinger Stables of Burlington, Ontario. The youngster was collared for $8,000 from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale and he’s already racked up earnings that exceed that purchase price.
Its Huw You Know pulled off a stunning upset when he rallied home in the fifth division at odds of 78-1 for trainer/driver Keith Jones. The gelding enjoyed a two-hole trip for most of the mile, and he rallied in the lane and produced the 2:00.3 decision by three-quarters of a length over fellow longshot Featured Illusion, who was 36-1. Caulfield rounded out the top three finishers in the nine-horse affair.
Doug McCarthy of Holland Landing, Ontario owns the stakes winning son of Holiday Road-Lukes Elvira. The $21,000 purchase from last year’s Canadian Yearling Sale is a sibling to the likes of Tymal Timeout (1:58.2 - $356,252), Lookit (1:59.3 - $187,033) and Tymal Recap (1:55.2 - $161,333).
Pridecrest didn’t have much luck in his debut performance against OSS Gold Series foes at Georgian Downs on July 13. The shift to the Grassroots level of the OSS program clearly proved to be his cup of tea thanks to his 2:00.3 triumph for the duo of driver Roger Mayotte and trainer Susie Kerwood. The son of Angus Hall-Spilled Milk avoided a pair of breakers in the first turn before muscling his way to the lead in the backstretch. Once he cleared to the lead he strolled through middle panels of 1:00.2 and 1:31 before kicking home in :29.3 en route to the win. Runner-up Parkhill Lancelot’s late rally came up just a head short, while Jayport All Muscle came first-over and still managed to hang on for the show dough.
Langcrest Farm of East Garafraxa, Ontario bred and owns the maiden-breaking rookie who has won $9,000 to date.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.