The three-year-old trotting fillies of the Ontario Sires Stakes are back in action in both Gold and Grassroots action over the next two days. Six $18,000 Grassroots divisions highlight tonight’s card at Mohawk Racetrack. The following evening two $105,000 Gold divisions will be part of Grand River’s Wednesday night program.
Making her OSS debut tonight at Mohawk is Acapulco Hall, a daughter of Deweycheatumnhowe who has post five in race five. A winner in her only lifetime start, on July 29 at Pocono Downs, in 1:57.4 for former trainer Fred Grant, the filly has been transferred to the Rick Zeron barn for her Ontario stay.
What makes her appearance notable is the fact that she’s a half-sister to 2003 Hambletonian winner Amigo Hall, the second Ontario-sired horse to ever win the coveted event. Ontario trainer Blair Burgess orchestrated the Balanced Image horse’s career which saw him earn in excess of $1 million lifetime.
In addition to being a top Grand Circuit performer, Amigo Hall was also dominant in the Ontario Sires Stakes program during his sophomore season, earning over $270,000 from just five starts.
Amigo Hall’s baby sister Acapulco Hall is owned by breeder Walnut Hall Limited of Kentucky. She is the eleventh foal from the Meadow Road daughter Alis Cat. Amigo Hall currently stands stud at Tara Hills Stud. He has one starter in the Grassroots event in Valencia Sol who has post one in Race 11.
Another filly with a brother who was very successful in the Hambletonian is Tosca who has post four in the first of the two Gold splits at Grand River Wednesday. Trainer Per Henriksen of Norwood, Ontario, owns and trains the Muscle Mass daughter he co-owns with Steve Organ of Aurora, Ontario.
Tosca’s half-brother Guccio came within a whisker of winning the 2012 Hambletonian, finishing a neck back in second to winner Market Share. Ironically their dam, Southern Senorita, is sired by Yankee Paco, who was the first Ontario-sired horse to win the Hambletonian. He accomplished the feat in 2000 for trainer Doug McIntosh.
Both Amigo Hall and Yankee Paco, the only two Ontario-sired colts to capture the Hambletonian to date, were sired by the late, great Balanced Image, a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
Tonight’s divisions at Mohawk Racetrack go postward as races two, three, five, six, 10 and 11 while the two Gold divisions at Grand River on Wednesday are in races one and three.
(OSS)