Favourites had a field day – for the most part - in the OSS Grassroots event for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings Thursday at Mohawk Racetrack.
Flanagan Memory, the winner of this year’s Goodtimes Trot and more recently the victory in the OSS Mid-Summer Challenge, opted to drop to the Grassroots level and he nearly gave his connections – and the swarms of fans that backed him – cardiac arrest at the start.
Sent off as the 1-9 favourite, the son of Kadabra-Classy Stacy made a break and found himself 21 lengths off the lead as Photo Mass stepped by the quarter pole in :28.3. It was still a 13-length deficit for Flanagan Memory at the mid-way point, which was reached first by Photo Mass in :58.3. Photo Mass was three lengths the best at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.4, while Flanagan Memory was eight and on the move while still sitting 10-3/4 lengths from the leader. Chris Christoforou angled Flanagan Memory into the centre of the track at the head of the lane and the colt’s :27-second closing quarter got him to the line in time as he won by a half-length over Photo Mass in 1:56. Sparky Gypsy was third.
Trainer Rene Dion shares ownership on the homebred with Liette Flanagan, and together they watched the talented trotter improve this year’s record to 5-2-1 from eight tries with the victory. The $9,000 payday boosted his lifetime earnings to $295,498.
Crosbys Clam Bake was a dominant winner in the second division for the tandem of driver Doug McNair and trainer Per Henriksen. The son of Kadabra-Pacific Elegance tracked cover before going into sprint mode in the stretch. He used a :27.3 closing quarter to win by 7-1/2 lengths over Super Duke. Pocket Trip was a distant third.
The 1:53.3 clocking was a career-best for the homebred gelding, who was sent off as the 4-5 favourite in the 11-horse affair. Ed Lohmeyer of Cream Ridge, NJ owns the career winner of $49,957.
Mo Dhabi, who was sent off as the 9-5 favourite, came off cover to win the third division in 1:57.3 for driver Chris Christoforou. The son of Angus Hall-Armbro Trish found himself third over around the final turn, but his :28.1 closing panel helped propel him to the top en route to posting the victory by 1-1/2 lengths. Massive Man came on strong to finish second, while Muscle Max faded to finish third after setting most of the speed.
Barry Treen trains the gelding for Len Gamble, Kevin Kobus, Peter Howarth and Dan Smith. It was the second win of the season – and the third to date – for the career winner of $36,842.
Loco Caballo put an end to the favourite parade with his 70-1 upset in the final division. Anthony MacDonald mapped out the winning trip for the Blair Burgess pupil, who skimmed the pylons in the lane and used his :29-second closing kick to win by 2-1/4 lengths over Musclescorleone. Third prize was earned by Ozzy Ozzy.
The 1:56 performance was a career-best for the son of Amigo Hall-Dream Cabernet. Robert Burgess and Karin Olsson Burgess share ownership on the four-time winner, who was 0-for-2 in last year’s rookie season. The lion’s share of the purse lifted his lifetime earnings to $31,303.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.