Mohawk Racetrack was flooded with two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Monday evening, as the Campbellville oval hosted no fewer than nine OSS Grassroots divisions.
Driver Mike Saftic swept the first two splits including his win in the opener with Southwind Amazon. The Gregg McNair trainee halted the teletimer in a career-best clocking of 1:54.4. Saftic worked out a second-over trip for the son of Camluck-Artoonist, who tore off his cover late and sprinted home in :27.2 to win by three-quarters of length over Sweet Colt Of Mine in 1:54.4. Race favourite Starlite Kid rounded out the top three finishers in the $24,000 tilt.
Jarold Hawks of Jeddo, MI owns the colt, who was a $35,000 purchase from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale. He now boasts a 2-0-2 record from six tries and his cash stash stands at $47,350.
Saftic completed the sweep of the Daily Double with Glammit, who front-stepped to a 1:55 score in the second division. The homebred son of Rambaran-Glamorous Gal led through panels of :27.2, :56.3 and 1:26.2 before using a :28.3 closing quarter to win by a six-length margin over Get Around Town. Third prize was earned by Jere.
It was the second consecutive stakes score for Glammit, who is trained by Larry Micallef for owner/breeder Dawn Lupul of Rockwood, ON. The victory improves the colt’s record to 2-0-2 from five tries and the $12,000 payday boosted his earnings to $30,960.
In the third division Duc Dorleans needed every inch of the racetrack to notch his fourth lifetime win. Stephane Brosseau tracked cover with the son of Shanghai Phil-Legende Dorleans before firing off the helmet and stepping home in :27.3 to win in a career-best clocking of 1:54.3. Runner-up Pan Of Outsiders was a neck in arrears, with Mckinney taking home third prize.
Never worse than second in five starts, Duc Dorleans pushed his lifetime earnings to $22,450 with the win. The homebred, who is trained by Jacques Dupont, is owned by Les Ecuries Dorleans Inc of Repentigny and Gestion C Levesque 2005inc of Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, QC.
Champagne Phil celebrated a maiden-breaking win in the fourth division for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Tony O’Sullivan. The son of Shanghai Phil-Champagne Gal, who was sent off as the 1-2 favourite, drafted behind cover before pulling the trigger late and winning by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:54.2. Rude Boy was next best, with Mikes Last Bet rounding out the top three finishers.
ICR Racing of Pefferlaw, ON owns the freshman, who was purchased for a mere $5,000 from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale. He now owns a 1-3-1 record in five tries, and his bankroll sits at $29,880.
Brocks Fortune erupted for a 15-1 upset thanks to his monster mile of 1:52.3 for trainer/driver Randy Fritz. The homebred son of Stonebridge Regal-Fannies Fortune grabbed the two-hole from Post 10 and sat patiently through panels of :27.2 and :56.4 before going first-over and pressing the leader to the three-quarter pole in 1:24.3. He then used a :28-second final frame to draw clear by 5-1/4 lengths. Second prize went to Panpero Firpo, while race favourite Tempo Seelster settled for the bronze medal.
It was a maiden-breaking score for Brocks Fortune, who was 0-for-6 coming into the assignment for owner/breeder Robert Chapple of Chatham, ON. The $12,000 payday helped boost the rookie’s earnings to $38,130.
The Dave Menary-trained Panongahela got up in the closing strides to win his division in a personal best time of 1:53.1 for driver Scott Zeron. The son of No Pan Intended-Parapanalia sat fourth through first-half fractions of :27.4 and :56.4 before launching a first-over bid and prompting the pacesetter to the three-quarter pole in 1:25. A :28.1 closing panel was good enough to earn the juvenile the win by three-quarters of length over Burning Shore. Just Henry grabbed a third-place finish in the pacing affair.
It was the first lifetime win for the career winner of $22,000, who is a homebred owned by Peter Pan Stables Inc of Pepper Pike, OH. The victory improves his overall record to 1-1-0 from five trips postward.
Port Side came up with a 24-1 upset in his division, and he managed to find the finish line just in the nick of time for driver Sylvain Filion and trainer Stephen Gillard. The homebred son of Your Nemesis-Anitas Smile got away in mid-way pack while Blissfull Bro and Regal Hope took turns on the lead through splits of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:26.2. Port Side tracked cover to the half before losing that cover on the way to the three-quarter pole. He took over the lead in the lane and used a :27.4 kicker to prevail by a neck over Island Jet, with Blissfull Bro fading to finish third.
Stephen and Marilyn Gillard of Tavistock, ON share ownership on the career winner of $13,450. It was the first win in four tries for the youngster.
Sylvain Filion came right back to win the next $24,000 division with Urbana Bayama in 1:53.4. It was a maiden-breaking triumph for the homebred who was making just his third start for trainer Justin Filion. The son of Jeremes Jet-Newmoon Bayama was seventh and parked the quarter pole, but he was charted second as the field hit the half in :56.2. He was on the move at three-quarter pole in 1:25.1, and his final quarter of :28.3 was good enough to earn him his first-ever victory. Windsong Joker was lapped-on runner-up, while OK Ferrari rounded out the top three finishers.
Owned and bred by Bayama Farms Inc of Saint-Andre-D’Argenteuil, QC, Urban Bayama now boasts a bankroll that stands at $17,760.
Sly Ruler took the final OSS Grassroots division in a time of 1:54.1, and in doing so he gave trainer Tony O’Sullivan his second stakes winner on the card and his third overall victory on the 13-race program. Jody Jamieson mapped out the first-over trip for the son of Jeremes Jet-Seafaring Girl, who sprinted home in a :27-second clip en route to posting the win by three-quarters of a lengths over Panocchio, with Ydreos taking home the show dough.
The public’s even-money favourite improved his rookie record to 1-2-1 from six starts with the win, and the $12,000 lion’s share of the purse bumped his cash stash to $29,050. He is owned by Frank Bellino of Bronxville, NY.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.