After two weeks spent south of the border taking on the best three-year-old pacing colts in North America, Jimmy Freight returned to the Ontario Sires Stakes program on Sunday (July 22) and delivered his third straight commanding Gold Series victory, circling the Rideau Carleton Raceway oval in 1:50.3.
Driver Louis-Philippe Roy sent Jimmy Freight directly to the front from post two and the heavy favourite cruised through fractions of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:23.3 on his way to the two and three-quarter length victory. Sharp Action Money finished second and JM Jack Of Hearts was four more lengths back in third.
“Louis turned around a few times to make sure he was having good control of this race, and it worked out perfect,” said trainer Richard Moreau.
Puslinch, Ont. resident Moreau conditions Jimmy Freight for Adriano Sorella of Milton, Ont. Through 10 starts this season, the Sportswriter son has posted six wins, one second and two thirds, banking $258,439. Prior to Sunday’s start, he had been in New Jersey competing in The Meadowlands Pace, where he finished third in his July 7 elimination and fourth in the July 14 final.
“I guess he has to get used to travel now,” said the trainer with a chuckle. “I think we have Mohawk next, for another Gold [August 4], and then going back to the States on the 11th. [The Carl Milstein Memorial is] an eight-horse field and they go for $400,000 U.S.”
Sunday’s victory made Jimmy Freight the fastest sophomore pacing colt to tour Rideau Carleton Raceway and was just one-fifth of a second shy of the 1:50.2 three-year-old track record set by Camluck gelding Michaels Power in a Gold final on August 26, 2012.
The second $96,400 Gold division was captured by The Downtown Bus, who led the field through fractions of :26.2, :55.2 and 1:23.2, fighting off challenges from Pretty Handsome and favourite St Lads Neptune before pacing away in the stretch to a two and three-quarter length victory in 1:51.1. Taste Of History and Grantmeawish closed well to secure second and third.
“He raced great. I used him up a couple of times and he still held them off,” said driver Doug McNair. “It was a huge effort tonight.”
Guelph, Ont. resident McNair piloted The Downtown Bus to his first-ever Ontario Sires Stakes win for trainer Jeff Gillis of Mississauga, Ont., and Ellen Ott of Buffalo, New York. Gillis and Ott also bred the son of Mach Three. In 14 sophomore starts, The Downtown Bus now has five wins, two seconds and four thirds for earnings of $103,315.
In addition to the pair of Gold Series divisions, Rideau Carleton Raceway also hosted three Grassroots splits for the three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, and after starting their season at the Gold level, both When You Dance and Casimir Richie P found success in their respective Grassroots divisions.
Fan favourite When You Dance hit the wire three and one-quarter lengths ahead of Pokerface Bluechip and Stock in 1:52. Guy Gagnon piloted the Mach Three son to the win for trainer Ben Wallace of Puslinch, Ont., Daniel Plouffe of Bromont, Que., and Birnam Wood Farms of Boca Raton, Florida.
Also sent off as the favourite, Casimir Richie P romped home to a six and one-quarter length victory in 1:52.3 for driver Tyler Moore of Campbellville, Ont., trainer Dr. Ian Moore of Cambridge, Ont., and their partner Michael Goldberg of Toronto. My Teen Idol was second and Mighty Mach third.
The final $18,450 division saw Hudson Phil earn his second Grassroots victory of the season with a pacesetting 1:52.3 effort that saw him hit the wire one and one-quarter lengths ahead of Gold Rush and Luka Shenko.
Guelph, Ont. resident James MacDonald crafted the win for trainer Mark Steacy of Lansdowne, Ont., and owner/breeder Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. of Hudson, Que. Both a Grassroots and a Gold winner at two, Hudson Phil had made one appearance at each level before Sunday’s victory.
“Phil’s always been a nice colt, but just a touch behind a few of the Gold horses, so we’ll try the Grassroots for the time being,” said Steacy. “He will go back to Hippodrome 3R for his next start and then return to Mohawk.”
On July 15, Hudson Phil captured his division of the first leg of the Coupe Des Eleveurs at Hippodrome 3R and will return to the Quebec oval for the July 29 second leg.
MacDonald and Steacy also teamed up to win Rideau's weekly $8,400 Preferred Handicap Trot with outside assignee Majestic Kat crossing to command and leading all the way to score by three and a half lengths in 1:55.3. The OSS graduate has earned wins in two of the last three Preferreds this month in Ottawa. The $8,550 trot division went to the Yves Tessier-trained National Debt in 1:52.3 with Roy aboard.
A pair of $5,500 first leg divisions of the Hard Rocking Gents Claiming Series were won by the Patrick Shepherd-trained Machapelo (Doug McNair), who romped to a nine-length victory in 1:54.1 defeating stablemate Young Man Matt, and Playin For Keeps (Sylvain Filion), a 1:55 winner for trainer Pierre Ouellette.
The OSS Gold Series colts and geldings will compete in their fourth event on August 4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, while the Grassroots competitors make their fourth start at Clinton Raceway on August 5.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday, August 26 with the fourth Gold and Grassroots legs for the three-year-old trotting colts.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.
(With files from OSS)
I was pleasantly surprised to
I was pleasantly surprised to see L.P.Roy back on the bike. I did not even know he had checked out of hospital! The accident looked serious.
I was also surprised in a good way that Rideau Management allowed all betting on 'Freights' race. Result was $50,000 wagered on that race. The average of the other 14 races was $20,000 per. A good night in the capitol!!