Musclescorleone struck gold in just his second career start with a victory in the $130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final on Wednesday afternoon at Flamboro Downs.
The field of two-year-old trotting colts and geldings was reduced to seven with insider Stonebridge Vista scratched sick. When the gate swung open, driver Anthony MacDonald sent 100-1 longshot The Manipulator to the front from post seven and carved out fractions of :30, 1:01.3 and 1:31.1. Meanwhile, Two Doors Down (Rodney Zeron) and elimination winners Cool Victory (Jack Moiseyev), Majestized (Luc Ouellette) and Mario Oneeighthree (Sylvain Filion) all made breaks throughout the mile.
After getting away fourth, driver Paul MacKenzie sent Musclescorleone first up as the field rounded the turn and headed in front of the grandstand towards the half-mile mark. The Muscle Mass-Taylor Seelster gelding applied heavy pressure to the tempo-setter down the backside and wore him down in deep stretch for the 2:01.4 half-length triumph. The Manipulator held second while favourite Cool Victory recovered from his early miscue and finished three-quarters of a length behind in third.
Musclescorleone, who finished third in his career debut during last weekend's elimination round, paid $14.30 to win as the 6-1 third choice. He is owned by trainer Fred Jamieson of Putnam, Renato Confortin of London and Dave Van Camp pf Hamilton, Ont.
Also on the menu at Flamboro Downs on Wednesday were eight $24,000 Grassroots divisions for the two-year-old pacing colts.
Oakville, Ont. resident Scott Zeron piloted the winner of the fastest division, crossing the wire in 1:55.3 with Bobby Hill. Zeron engineered the two length victory for trainer Casie Coleman of Cambridge, Ont. and owner-breeder Tom Hill of Lancashire, Great Britain. The son of Camluck and Beyonce Blue Chip bested Sly Ruler and Lyonsshadyacres.
Zeron picked up a second Grassroots victory when Windsong Jack demolished the field in the last division by 13 lengths. Starting from the trailing Post 9, Zeron and the Santanna Blue Chip son coasted away from the gate and sat fifth through the early going. Heading up the outside at the halfway marker Windsong Jack reeled in pacesetter Mach It Paiden and sailed away to the commanding victory in 1:56.1. Mach It Paiden settled for second and Soevil rounded out the top three. Cheltenham, Ont. resident David Menary conditions Windsong Jack for Ontario owners Larry Menary of Cheltenham, Kenneth Ewen of Georgetown, Denis Breton of Welland and Geoffrey Lyons Mound of Burford.
Two other colts with local connections were also victorious in their Grassroots divisions at Flamboro.
Dull Roar kicked things off in the first race with a gate-to-wire triumph for trainer Jeffrey Gillis of Hillsburgh, Ont. and his partners Ken Henwood of Mississauga, Ont., Mac Nichol of Burlington, Ont., and Gerald Stay of Buffalo, New York. The Mach Three colt halted the teletimer at 1:58.2, finishing three and one-half lengths ahead of Why Dont U Stay and M D Buddy.
President Sylberun also found his way to the winner’s circle from Post 9, cruising to a one and three-quarter length victory in 1:58.3. Rude Boy and Mystic Deuce paced into second and third. Anthony MacDonald piloted the No Pan Intended gelding to the win for trainer Shawn Robinson and owner Domenic Chiaravalle of Hamilton, Ont.
The other Grassroots trophies went home with Adversary Seelster (1:55.4); Windsong Joker (1:56.2); Get Around Town (1:57.2); and Southwind Amazon (1:56.2).
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results - Flamboro Downs.
(With files from OSS)