Three-year-old pacing colts and geldings found themselves in the spotlight Tuesday at Mohawk Racetrack as the Ontario Sires Stakes rolled into town and presented four Grassroots divisions.
Regal Babe was a popular winner in his $18,000 division for Team McNair. The homebred son of Stonebridge Regal-Nascar Babe came first-over through fractions of :56 and 1:25.1 before using a :27.2 closing panel to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Shadowbriand in 1:52.3. Third prize was earned by a rallying Recharge.
Doug McNair guided the Gregg McNair trainee to his third win of the season in 13 tries. The pacer has been first or second in all but one of this year’s performances for owner/breeder Rob Chapple of Chatham, Ontario. The $9,000 payday bumped the gelding’s bankroll to $89,438.
Titus Seelster powered to the lead from Post 5 and never looked back once he got to the top. Sylvain Filion rolled the son of Artistic Fella-That Day through panels of :26.1, :54.4 and 1:22.2 before being chased home in :28.3 to win in a career-best clocking of 1:51. Atomic Million rallied to grab the runner-up award, and the show dough was earned by Waterside Light.
It was the second win of the season for Titus Seelster, who is owned by Brian Paquet and Bayama Farms of Quebec. Stephane Larocque trains the three-time winner who bumped his overall cash stash to $67,312 with the win.
Shadow Place captured the third division, and he did so in a new lifetime mark of 1:51.1. Jonathan Drury picked up the last-minute catch-drive on the Richard Moreau pupil, who made a three-wide brush to the lead off the final turn and drew clear to win by 6-1/2 lengths over Waco Bruiser. The Optimist, who threw down fractions of :26.2, :54.2 and 1:23, faded to finish third.
The son of Shadow Play-Loving Place racked up his third win of the season from eight trips to the track for the partnership of 9174 7998 Quebec Inc, Les Ecuries Bruce and Henri Hebert, Jr. The $9,000 payday pushed his lifetime earnings over $60,000.
Hall Bro picked up a new lifetime mark thanks to his come-from-behind victory in the final division. Luc Ouellette rallied the son of Blissfull Hall-Turolas Angel to the 1:52.1 victory over OK Galahad and Andreios Kardia.
Antonio Valente trains the homebred for Ferme Brodeur of Terrebonne, Quebec. The win was the gelding’s sixth of the season from 13 trips to the track. The eight-time winner pushed his lifetime earnings to $71,019 with the win.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.