Century Farroh continued his reign in the glamour boy division of the Ontario Sires Stakes, holding off his rivals to win the third Gold Series leg on Friday night (August 2) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Driven by Sylvain Filion, Century Farroh left from post three in the $158,000 Gold event with Sportsline and Best In Show blasting off the gate from the outermost posts. With Sportsline crossing to command, Century Farroh wasted little time moving around that foe to the front as they passed the :26.1 quarter mark. Meanwhile, Best In Show tucked into third.
Century Farroh continued to lead the full 10-horse field through a half in :55, with pressure mounting from a first-up Bronx Seelster as they hit the third quarter mark in 1:22.4. Stag Party followed the cover second-over.
Down the stretch, Century Farroh's rivals were closing in with Best In Show at the rail and Bronx Seelster and Stag Party outside, but he held on to prevail by a neck in 1:49.4. Bronx Seelster edged out Best In Show for the runner-up honours, with Stag Party 1-1/4 lengths back in fourth.
Century Farroh was sent postward as the even-money favourite and returned $4.30 to win.
“I really think that the time off did him some good. It seemed to rejuvenate him a little bit, not that he was really worn out, but he just seemed to be a totally different horse tonight. I needed ear plugs in him warming up tonight, he was grabbing me that bad,” said trainer Dr. Ian Moore, who started the colt just once -- in a July 6 overnight at Woodbine Mohawk Park -- between Friday’s test and his last Gold Series win on June 29. “He had 10 days right off in the paddock after his last race and he was still on full feed and he put weight on and filled out a little bit more. I trained him in 1:51 at the farm last Wednesday, 10 days ago. That’s all he had from July 6.”
A Grassroots champion last year, the Mach Three-Beachy Girl colt is now perfect through the first three legs of the Gold Series and boasts and an eight-for-nine seasonal record for owner Ratchford Stable NS of North Sydney, N.S. His 12th career win boosted his earnings to $388,433.
The Moore trainee will head to Northfield Park for the $400,000 Carl Milstein Memorial next Saturday, Aug. 10.
“It’s not that long a ship to Northfield, so it shouldn’t be too bad. This will be his only one,” added Moore, who plans to send the colt to Ohio on Friday, Aug. 9. “Now, you know, half-mile track, you’ve got to draw good. Draw anywhere near the outside down there you’re out right from the start, that’s all there is to it, period.”
Bronx Seelster was the subject of an inquiry for his move on the backstretch, but judges ruled there were no violations as he did not impede the progress of Stag Party.
The third Grassroots leg for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings will take place on Monday, Aug. 5 as part of Grand River Raceway's Industry Day program, which features the $239,000 Battle Of Waterloo and $157,500 Battle Of The Belles. The Gold glamour boys will meet again on August 18 at Georgian Downs.
Ontario Sires Stakes-winning filly Sunny Dee ($8.60) held off the pocket-pulling Beautyonthebeach by a nose in a 1:49.4 career-best mile to win a $22,000 Three-Year-Old Filly Open Pace earlier in the night. Trevor Henry drove the homebred Sunshine Beach-West Of L A filly, a half-sister to the famous OSS graduate L A Delight, for trainer Bob McIntosh. Favourite Powerful Chris finished 2-1/4 lengths behind in third.
Unraced as a two-year-old, Sunny Dee now boasts 10 wins from 14 starts racing for Robert Mcintosh Stables Inc., C S X Stables and Al Mcintosh Holdings Inc.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(with quotes from OSS)