Stars of the O.S.S. program were out in full force at Georgian Downs on Saturday evening, as the Innisfil, Ontario oval hosted Gold Series eliminations for all four
of the sophomore categories.
Here’s a recap of what transpired leading up to next weekend's rich finals:
Three-Year-Old Filly Pacers
Tiz To Dream (Doug McNair) shaved three-fifths of a second off the track record for three-year-old pacing fillies when she romped to a 1:51.2 score in her elimination. The daughter of Grinfromeartoear-Extreme Dream led through fractions of :26.4, :55.1 and 1:23.1 en route to the four-length decision. Perfume N Pearls (Mario Baillargeon) was second and Theta Blue Chip finished third.
Trained by Gregg McNair, who co-owns the talented miss with Paul Kidd of Guelph, ON, Tiz To Dream is now 3-for-6 this season after going 6-for-16 last year. She has banked more than $82,000 this year, while her lifetime cash stash climbed to $333,417 with the win.
Tiz To Dream’s 1:51.2 clocking missed equaling Michelles Powers’ Canadian and O.S.S. record for three-year-old pacing fillies on a five-eighths mile oval by one-fifth of a second. Michelles Power established the 1:51.1 standard at Rideau Carleton Raceway on August 10, 2007.
Windsong Grand Ave (Mark MacDonald) front-stepped to a 1:52 triumph in the second elimination, and in doing so she improved her 2010 record to 5-1-1 in nine tries for trainer Shawn Robinson. The homebred daughter of Camluck-Jasper Avenue, who was sent off as the 1-9 favourite, kicked home in :28.1 to stop the clock in 1:52. She defeated Misty Moonstone and Warm Waffles.
Bill Loyens of London, who bred the filly, and Harry Loyens of Ilderton, Ontario share ownership on the career winner of $105,200.
Three-Year-Old Colt Trotters
Arriba Amigo (Trevor Ritchie) got the whole enchilada in the first elimination when he rallied to win in a career-best clocking of 1:54.1. The clocking also went down as a Canadian record for three-year-old trotting geldings on a five-eighths mile oval. He knocked three-fifths of a second off the former mark of 1:54.4 set by San Pail at Kawartha Downs on June 26, 2007. Hidden Message (Phil Hudon) was a determined runner-up to the Blair Burgess pupil, and Celebrity Ferrari (Paul MacDonell) came on late to finish third.
The son of Amigo Hall-Fidanzata, who went winless in seven starts as a rookie, now owns a 2-1-0 record in his first four starts of the 2010 campaign. He has banked more than $47,000 to date for owners Robert Burgess, Karin Olsson Burgess, Mac Nichol and the Champagne Stable of Ontario.
Text Me (Randy Waples) was sent off as the 1-5 favourite in his assignment, and he had no problem delivering on that pari-mutuel promise. The homebred son of Kadabra-Dial Nile, who is trained by Bob McIntosh, swung off cover turning for home and blew by the leaders en route to a 1:54.4 tally. Windsong Geant, who came first over, was next best and third prize went to Poof K.
It was the fourth win of the season in just six trips postward for the colt, who is owned by the Robert McIntosh Stables Inc, the C S X Stables and Dave Boyle. The seven-time winner has earned $521,286 to date.
Windsun Galaxie (Paul MacDonell) used his front-stepping skills to take the third elimination in a career-best clocking of 1:55.1. He parked past the quarter pole in :28.2 before finding the front and laying down middle splits of :58.3 and 1:27. A :28.1 final frame was good enough to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Dontgetinhisway (Rick Zeron). Third prize went to Thro Time (Brad Kramer).
Windsun Farm Inc of Uxbridge, Ontario bred and owns the son of Kadabra-Imageofaclearnight. The Chad Milner-trained colt, who went winless in two starts last season, is now 4-for-9 this year. He has potted all of his $117,800 bankroll in 2010.
Three-Year-Old Colt Pacers
Big Bay Point (Robert Shepherd) toyed with the competition he squared off with in the first of two eliminations. The son of Camluck-Great Memories dictated the pace through fractions of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:25 before roaring home in a :27-second clip to win in 1:52. Code Word (Rick Zeron) tagged along to finish second while Twin B Warrior (Randy Waples) grabbed the show dough.
The Dave Menary pupil, who was purchased earlier this year by the Pennsylvania partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, improved his record to 4-1-3 in 13 starts this season with the victory. The pacer has put away more than $78,000 to date.
BP Chimo (Mark MacDonald) found a seam in deep stretch and used it to his advantage en route to posting a 1:52.1 score as the 6-5 favourite. The James Barton-trained son of Grinfromeartoear-Chimi Hanover got up in the final strides to pick off Broadies Song (Rick Zeron). Third prize went to Cajon Thunder (Simon Allard).
Barton, who shares ownership on the youngster with Elizabeth Thompson of Branchton, ON and Anne and Barry O’Keefe of Ferryland, NL, watched the colt notch his first win of the season in five trips postward. The pacer went 3-for-11 last season and banked $155,400 along the way. The $107,950 he has stashed away this season brings his grand total to $263,350.
Stonebridge Tonic (Doug McNair) was second-placed-first in the final elimination after the ORC Judges placed the original winner, Future Million (Simon Allard) back to seventh for body checking Mach Dreamer (Luc Ouellette) past the quarter pole.
Stonebridge Tonic, a son of Camluck-Glacier Express, enjoyed a ground-saving trip en route to picking up his second win of the season in five tries. He paced the mile in 1:52.2. Third-placed-second in the eventful affair was Wellthereyougo (Paul MacDonell), and fourth-placed-third was Red Bugler (Mario Baillargeon).
Trainer Gregg McNair, who co-owns Stonebridge Tonic with Artana Stables, Len Gamble and the colt’s breeder, Angie Stiller, watched the pacer score for the second time this season in seven tries. The $20,000 lion’s share of the purse boosted his bankroll to $221,354.
Three-Year-Old Filly Trotters
Ipromisenottetell (Phil Hudon) added her name to the record book at Georgian Downs when she rallied to win in 1:55.4, which shaved one-fifth of a second off Somebody To Love’s former standard of 1:56 set on June 21, 2008. The daughter of Angus Hall-Imagine My Pride tracked down the pacesetting favourite, Emmylou Who, in the final strides. It was a bigger gap back to third-place finisher Kenu Dance.
Joe Hudon trains the youngster for R A W Equine Inc of Burlington, Ontario. She went 4-for-9 as a rookie, and has answered with a 2-for-6 record this season for her connections. The $20,000 payday lifted her lifetime earnings to $159,671.
In the very next race, Cross Of Lorraine (Paul MacKenzie) not only lowered the track record set one race earlier – but she shaved one-fifth of a second off Peaceful Way’s Canadian record for a three-year-old trotting filly on a five-eighths mile oval when she trotted to a 1:55.2 victory for trainer Carl Jamieson. Peaceful Way established her 1:55.3 record at Rideau Carleton Raceway on September 2, 2004.
Cross Of Lorraine led the field through fractions of :28, :58.2 and 1:27.1 before sprinting home in :28.1 to post the victory over Random Destiny (Riina Rekila) and Closeness (Simon Allard).
Jamieson shares ownership on the daughter of Angus Hall-Katya Hanover with partners Tom Kyron and Hope Johnson. The win was her fourth of the season in six tries, and the $20,000 payday bumped her overall bankroll to $55,716.
The $130,000 O.S.S. Gold Series finals will be contested next Saturday evening at Georgian Downs as part of the track’s popular Gold Rush night.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.