A pair of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions for freshman trotting fillies took place on a beautiful summer Sunday (July 3) at Georgian Downs.
The OSS action got underway in race six of nine on the card, with Scott Young piloting Margarita Morning to an upset win.
The daughter of Muscle Mass left from post four at 11-1, the third longest odds in the field of seven. Young settled her into third position behind first half leader Heavens Field who set opening fractions of :29.4 and a 1:02.3.
She moved to the front in the third panel, and powered home in :28.4 to win by a length, setting a mark of 2:01 for her first career win.
“She’s a very mature filly. She trots very nice,” said Young. “From her first qualifier she’s done everything I’ve asked her to do. Tonight, it was a non-stressful half. So, I was able to make the lead, and when I asked her to get home, she was full of trot.”
Margarita Morning is out of Seeuinthespring a Striking Sahbra mare who won the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final as a two-year-old in 2012. Her trainer Paul Reid believes the Richard and Regina Beinhauer homebred is ready for a big season.
“She is so calm. I have never had a trotting filly who is that relaxed and easy to deal with,” said Reid. “It helps when you have owners like the Beinhauers who give you a nice horse to train.”
Heavens Fury finished second after holding the lead at the half. Louis Philippe-Roy was driving for trainer Desiree Jones. Gino Toscani owns the filly who has now finished fourth, third, and second in three career starts.
John Bax trainee and betting favourite Its Your Choice finished third. Doug McNair drove for owners Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz, and Lynn Katz.
In the second Gold division, Sweet Detrmination led gate to wire with Doug McNair in the race bike.
McNair left from rail position and after fending off an early challenge from Shiny New Penny set fractions of :28.3, 1:00, 1:29.4, and 1:58.4 to win by half a length over a late-charging Righteous Resolve.
“She made the lead fairly easy, and she trotted easy,” said McNair. “I just scored her out. She scored out so nice, and I figured as long as she trotted nice she had a chance and she ended up being able to cut the race out.”
The Lookslikeachpndale filly is trained by Pat Lang and is a half-sister to Sweet Soul David, who had five wins at the Grassroots level last season. Lang co-owns the filly with Dewitt Stables.
The second-place finisher Righteous Resolve is a full sister to 2021 OSS Star Duly Resolve. It was the second career start for the John Bax trainee who now has a record of 1-1-0 and $33,325 in earnings for owners Bet Max Stables, and Benenati Inc.
Louis-Philippe Roy had Believe U Me challenging Sweet Detrmintation down the stretch before the Meg Crone trainee was passed late to finish third by half a length. It was her first career start for owner Bill Donovan.
To view Sunday's harness racing results at Georgian Downs, click the following link: Sunday Results - Georgian Downs
(OSS)