Three of the two-year-old trotting fillies competing in tonight’s third $70,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold division at Grand River Raceway came into the contest riding two race winning streaks.
Danielle Hall and Juanitas Fury had both won a division of the first Gold event for this group of the 2014 season while newcomer Muscle Baby Doll was making her first appearance in Ontario after starting her career on the Indiana Fair circuit.
In their division Muscle Baby Doll left sharply from post five for Doug McNair and easily obtained the lead. Jody Jamieson sent Danielle Hall up to take over just past the :30.1 opening quarter. She continued on top by the 1:01.1 half but just past that point Bistrobistro Taj came to call and had a head in front by the 1:31 three-quarters.
Those two fillies battled it out around the final turn while McNair tipped his filly three wide and cruised on by to win in 2:00, the fastest of the three divisions tonight. Danielle Hall (Deweycheatumnhowe) was second with Bistrobistro Taj (Pilgrims Taj) taking third.
This was the first start for Muscle Baby Doll under her new ownership of Frank Bellino and Sons Stable of New York and trainer Tony O’Sullivan. The Bellinos purchased the daughter of Muscle Mass–Have You Ever last week.
Another recent acquisition for the Bellinos and O’Sullivan is Youre Majestic who won her first outing for her new connections in the first OSS Gold test last week at Mohawk. She raced very well tonight but had to settle for the bridesmaid spot.
That division saw Amoureuse Hanover and Randy Waples gain early control to head the fillies by the opening marker in :29.2. Just past that point she was overtaken by Ditcherquicknhide and Jack Moiseyev who trotted by the half in :59.4.
Waples pulled his filly back out from second and she hit the three-quarters first in 1:30.2. Three wide and driving on through the final turn was Youre Majestic but she could not catch the leader who tripped the timer in 2:00.3. Youre Majestic (Majestic Son) was second followed by Sumthintotalkabout (Muscle Mass).
It was the first win in three lifetime starts for Amoureuse Hanover, who finished second and third in her previous outings. Trained by John Smith for Brian Peterson of Port Hope, Ontario, the daughter of Pilgrims Taj was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms.
The second split saw favourite The Grand Filly make a break just before the opening quarter while trying to overtake Desis Dream who hit that point in :30.3 and the half in 1:00.3. She had pressure at that point from Magical Gem but that filly miscued, taking herself out of contention.
Just past the 1:30.3 three-quarters Gee Okeeffe came out from second for James MacDonald and flew by Desis Dream to win by more than six lengths in 2:00.3. The Grand Filly (Muscle Mass) recovered to take second while Mischief Smile (Majestic Son) was third.
It was the first lifetime win in three starts for Gee Okeeffe who finished second in her first two tries. From the first crop of Holiday Road, the filly is trained by Chris Beaver who co-owns with breeder Wilbur Lang, both of Ohio.
The rookie trotting fillies will next meet for Gold action on August 10 at Rideau Carleton Raceway in Ottawa.
(OSS)
To view results for Wednesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Wednesday Results – Grand River Raceway.