After being scratched sick in her last two scheduled starts, Chantilly returned in rare form as she won the $140,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Leg 3 event for three-year-old pacing fillies on Tuesday, July 22 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The 1-9 favourite and defending Canadian Horse of the Year is now perfect through 13 career races for her owner and breeder Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont., trainer Nick Gallucci, and driver James MacDonald.
Millar Farms owner George Millar, in the winner’s circle, told Woodbine broadcaster John Rallis that Chantilly’s sickness “was a little bit more than we anticipated. When we scratched her from the Fan Hanover, she had inflammation in her lungs, and we just couldn't race her with that. We had a vet scope her lungs, and especially her right one wasn't clear. We just would have done a lot of damage if we had raced her.
“Nick was hoping that he could get her clean by the following week, but it just wasn't working out that way. So… you try to do what's best for the horse.”
Chantilly was an easy winner in the six-horse field. She sat fourth in the early going as Millie May Hanover (Billy Davis Jr.), Perfectly Chic (Bob McClure), and Wickedpace (Jody Jamieson) all left quickly from the gate. Wickedpace led the field through the :26.3 first quarter, but MacDonald had Chantilly out and moving shortly after. She quickly cleared and led the group through the :55.2 half and 1:24.1 three-quarters before opening up in the stretch to record a 1-1/4-length win in 1:50.2 over the last Gold winner, Perfectly Chic. Millie May Hanover was third, Wicked N Single (Louis-Philippe Roy) finished fourth, and Wickedpace grabbed the last cheque.
“This filly is amazing,” MacDonald said. “It's a pleasure to drive her. George and Nick, they've been great to me over the years, and it's just great to have another great horse to drive for them… Every time I'm sitting behind her, she's just a lot of fun. And I just can't say enough good about her speed or her class. Everything about her is just perfect.”
Chantilly, a daughter of Big Jim-Shiraz Seelster, is now four-for-four this year and is on the cusp of $1 million in lifetime earnings ($985,256 to be exact). She won the first Gold event of the year on May 24 in a career-best 1:49.4 and has made $224,256 in 2025. Her campaign at two that earned her Horse of the Year honours included wins in the Shes A Great Lady, Eternal Camnation, and her Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final.
MacDonald said he was looking forward to racing Chantilly against top U.S. sophomore pacing filly Miki And Minnie and her driver Dexter Dunn before too long.
“I think Dex and I are waiting for the two giants to hook up and we're just hoping we're both on our very best that day,” MacDonald said. “I know they're going to put on a good show for the fans – they're great horses – but I don't think any time is out of [Chantilly’s] realm. She’s got speed like no horse I’ve maybe ever seen. And I just hope one day it sets up and she can put on a show for the clock, too.”
Millar said he was also looking forward to Chantilly racing against Miki And Minnie, but took objection to a someone’s suggestion that Chantilly scratched out of the Fan Hanover to duck Miki And Minnie.
“I can't really believe a person would say that,” Millar said. “Miki And Minnie is a great horse, but we got a great horse, too. That’s something about horse racing. I love the sport, and to race the best against the best, that’s what you want to see. And whatever way the cards fall, that's the way they fall. But, you settle it on the track. Hopefully we'll run against up against her at Pocono, there's a stake race down there, so maybe we’ll race against her in that.
“It’s awesome watching [Chantilly] race… She’s a thrill for me right now.”
Earlier on the card, Osceola returned to victory lane with a lifetime-best performance as he defeated favourite Drawn Impression in the $28,000 Preferred 2 Trot. McClure put him on top before Ghostly Casper (Tyler Borth) pocketed him approaching the quarter and Drawn Impression (Roy) went to the front on the backstretch. Osceola remained in third until peeling out at the top of the stretch, and he chased down Drawn Impression late to win by a head in 1:51.3. Ghostly Casper finished third.
Osceola, a five-year-old son of Muscle Mass-Armbro Exquisite, took his 13th career victory in 51 starts. Gregg McNair trains the horse and co-owns him with Willow Oak Racing LLC and Paul Hawman. Osceola knocked a fifth of a second off his previous mark, which he set in his most recent win in a Preferred 2 on May 12. He returned $4.50 to win.
One Belle impressed in the first of two $20,000 Pure Ivory first-leg divisions for rookie filly trotters with a 1:54.4 effort. James MacDonald drove on with the daughter of Walner-Ms Savannah Belle to get her to the front on the backstretch, and the filly glided clear of her rivals before powering home to a four-length victory. Shimmering Hanover (Roy) came on for place, followed by In Session (Tyler Jones). One Belle, an Al Libfeld homebred, is undefeated in two starts. She debuted on July 1 and won in similar fashion for trainer Matt Bax. Her backers received $2.80 for a $2 ticket.
Wishuponastar Deo captured the second split in a front-stepping performance engineered by Borth. Not content with a pocket ride, he sent her to the front in the second quarter, a lead she held to the wire. Aura Of Athena (Jamieson) gave her a scare late, but she held on by a head in 1:58.2. Calyx (McClure) completed the ticket. Wishuponastar Deo is now two-for-three for trainer Susie Kerwood. The daughter of Six Pack-Wish I Was There was a $22,973 Lexington buy for owners S&R Racing Stable Inc., Ken Backer, and Peter Hearty. She paid $2.90 to win.
To view Tuesday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Tuesday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Ontario Racing & Standardbred Canada)