Two-year-old trotting colts and geldings were front and centre Thursday evening at Mohawk Racetrack as the Campbellville oval hosted five OSS Gold Series divisions.
Hope For Justice kicked off the card with a 1:57.2 triumph in his $42,000 assignment for the tandem of driver Luc Ouellette and trainer Bernie Noren. The homebred son of Windsong Espoir-Truth And Justice enjoyed a two-hole to the quarter pole before rushing to the front and chopping out middle splits of :58.2 and 1:28.1. He then used a :29.1 closing quarter to win by 2-1/2 lengths over See The Wind, with Starsaboveallerage finishing third.
Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, the first-time starter score the win for Noren and the gelding’s breeder, Marty Katz of Lexington, KY.
Aggressive came through for the longshot players in the second division thanks in large part to a sweet trip mapped out by driver Mike Saftic. The son of Kadabra-Sweet Janet, who was discounted by many at odds of 21-1, toured the oval in the two-hole behind fractions of :29.3, 1:01 and 1:30.3 before tipping off the rail and using a :28.2 final frame to win by a length over the tempo-setting Dontcheatonmenow in 1:59.4. Jitterbug came on strong to finish a fast-closing third.
Trainer Garth Gordon of Guelph shares ownership on the gelding with Robert Lee and James Walker of Port Perry, ON, and collectively the trio watched the youngster notch a $21,000 payday in his first-ever start. The half-brother to Zizis Balance (1:54.2 - $242,858) was purchased for $24,000 from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
Dream Rocker kicked off cover in the lane and held on to win by a head in the third division for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Ed Hayter. The colt, who was sent off as the 7-5 favourite, summoned up a final quarter clocked in :28.2 to win by the slim margin over Great White Way in 1:58.4. Derby, who carved out panels of :28.1, 1:00.2 and 1:29.4 was a lapped-on third.
Vic Hayter of Stratford, ON owns the Hard Rock N Roll-Super Dreamer colt, who is the half-brother to Motivational (1:53.2 - $302,128). The youngster was purchased for a mere $5,000 at last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale.
Things looked bleak for Mr Lover around the final turn in his division, but the Stephane Larocque pupil kicked it into another gear late and swept by six foes in the final quarter en route to his half-length triumph over Utopia in 1:59.2. Drama Free finished third.
The first-time starter, who is a son of Deweycheatumnhowe-Norway No Day, uncorked a :28.1 late surge to post the win for driver Yves Filion. The colt, who paid $18.90 is a homebred owned by Ecuries R L Belanger of Laval, QC.
Muscle Matters, a $17,000 purchase from last year’s Canadian Yearling Sale, came first over and drew to an easy win in the final division for Team Baillargeon. The son of Muscle Mass-Sister Mary Lindy chipped away in the final half of the contest en route to his win by 1-1/2 lengths over Valorscross. Stormont Dorval rounded out the Triactor ticket.
Mario Baillargeon engineered the maiden-breaking effort with the Ben Baillargeon pupil, who returned $8.50 to his backers. Ben Baillargeon shares ownership on the first-time starter with Nunzio Vena, Santo Vena, and Richard Thompson.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.