Michaels Power held off O'Brien Award winner Warrawee Needy to earn his second Ontario Sires Stakes Gold trophy of the season on Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.
Driver Anthony MacDonald sent Goban to command from post three ahead of Warrawee Needy and Michaels Power and fired off a :26.2 opening quarter in the $130,000 Gold Final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
Scott Zeron made his move as the field entered the backstretch sending Michaels Power to the top spot, but had Warrawee Needy and Jody Jamieson hot on their heels. Once 'Needy' cleared to command, Michaels Power moved back out for the retake en route to the half in :54.2.
As the colts race down the backstretch, Secretsoftheknight and Doug McNair tipped to the outside from fourth, but were still nearly three lengths off the leader by the 1:22.1 third quarter mark. Jamieson pulled Warrawee Needy from the pocket entering the stretch and began to chip away at Michaels Power lead, but came up half a length short at the wire. Michaels Power went sub-1:50 scoring in 1:49.2 over the 'good' surface for trainer Casie Coleman. Finished nearly five lengths behind in third was 46-1 longshot Hard To Mach and Rick Zeron.
"When you're 1-9 you can drive like that and get some respect so it's easy to position him and then use him a little earlier in the mile and let him pace home," said Scott Zeron after the victory.
The Oakville, Ont. reinsman noted that Michaels Power, who has some foot issues in last week's elimination round, was "ready to go today."
"[Casie] said she worked on him all week so I wasn't worried in that sense, but the track's really hard, which could pinch his feet a little more," he said. "But I know every time he steps out here he gives 110 per cent so I was confident in him."
Michaels Power paid $3.60 to win for the fifth consecutive time as the fan favourite. The Camluck-Michelles Jackpot gelding, with a near perfect career record of 11 wins in 13 starts and $667,400 banked, is owned and bred by New York's Jeffrey Snyder. He's swept two Gold Series events so far this year and earned victories in the Upper Canada Cup, Somebeachsomewhere Stakes and Canadian Breeders Championships.
One race later, Foreclosure N and driver Mario Baillargeon went from last to first in 1:50.3 in the $38,000 Preferred Pace, prevailing in a blanket finish by half a length over favourite Bigtime Ball and Paul MacDonell. Silver Eagle and Randy Waples were third while Bestinthebusiness, driven by Luc Ouellette, finished right there in fourth. Foreclosure N paid $8.10 to win as the 3-1 second choice. Chris Ryder trains the four-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover and Pleasing Package A for Florida's Richard and Joanne Young.
Trainer Jeff Gillis won three of the 12 races on Saturday's card.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.