Golden Son has been the hottest thing since sliced bread in recent weeks, and Tuesday night he posted his fifth consecutive victory in one of five $18,000 OSS Grassroots divisions for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings at Mohawk Racetrack.
Sylvain Filion dropped into the pocket spot with the 1-5 favourite while Magic Missions worked his way to the lead at the quarter pole in :27.4. Filion quickly moved Golden Son to the front, however, and they cleared without much of a tussle. The duo led the group through middle splits of :57.1 and 1:27 before firing home in :29.1 to seal the deal by a length over P L Jerico in 1:56.1. Are You In was third.
Richard Moreau trains the son of Majestic Son-Dawn Dream for Gary & Fay Clark of Oriskany Falls, NY. The gelding, who was unraced as a rookie, now owns a 7-1-3 record from just 12 trips to the track this season. He’s banked $41,500 to date.
Nofear Blue Chip captured his division in 1:54.4 – the quickest of the OSS winners – for the tandem of driver Trevor Henry and Paul Reid. In a trip similar to that of Golden Son, Henry got away fourth before rushing his charge to the top in the backstretch. After leading through middle fractions of :57.4 and 1:26.2 the gelding held on to win by a length over race favourite Muscles For Life. Defi Normand took home the show dough.
Norah Park of New Lowell, Ont. owns the three-time winner who improved this year’s record to 2-0-2 from six starts with the win. The $9,000 payday boosted his bankroll to $94,610.
Mass Balance was a front-stepping winner in his division, but Asterix gave him a major scare in the closing strides. Trevor Henry threw down fractions of :27.2, :57.2 and 1:26.2 with Mass Balance who then used a :30.2 closing quarter to prevail by a nose over Asterix in 1:56.4. Bow Ties N Bourbon rounded out the Triactor ticket.
Sent off as the even-money choice, the son of Muscle Mass-Aimees Image posted his first win of the season for Synerco Ventures Inc of Toronto, Ont. Rob Fellows trains the three-time winner who lifted his lifetime earnings to $102,199 with the victory.
Trevor Henry nabbed his third OSS Grassroots division of the night thanks to a pylon-skimming score with Muscles Bound. Henry treated the gelding to a ground-saving while race favourite Matza Man led the field through fractions of :27.4, :57.3 and 1:27.2. Matza Man tired late and Henry stick-handled through traffic and used a :29-second closing quarter to win by a length over Midnight Toker in 1:56.3. French Bastille came on strong to finish third.
Wayne Langille trains the homebred son of Angus Hall-Showmeyourmuscles for partners Randall Crosby of Princeton and Dale Sparks of Woodstock, Ont. The win gives the gelding a 4-1-3 record from 12 trips to the track this season. His career earnings climbed to $45,190 in the process.
Manofmanyimages overcame Post 10 in an eleven-horse field to capture the final division in 1:55.2 for driver James MacDonald and trainer John Bax. The son of Manofmanyimages-Spicey Image gained the two-hole thanks to a sharp move from the starting gate, but he was then shuffled to fourth through the middle stages of the contest. The Land Shark and Gonna Fly took turns on the lead through fractions of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:25.4, but it was Manofmanyimages who shook loose late and used a :29-second final frame to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Gonna Fly. Agent Dinozzo rounded out the top three finishers.
Richard Gutnick, T L P Stable and Joseph Lozito, Jr. share ownership on the sophomore who is 3-for-7 this season after going just 1-for-6 as a rookie. The lion’s share of the purse pushed his earnings over $40,000.
Two-year-old trotting fillies were also in action to kick off the week at the Campbellville oval as they did battle in the second leg of the Pure Ivory Series.
Dream Together was sent off as the overwhelming favourite in the $14,000 tilt, and she passed the test with flying colours. She got away third for driver Sylvain Filion, who had her moving first-over in the second quarter. A Doozy led the field through first-half fractions of :28.4 and :59.1, but Dream Together powered past that foe and proceeded to move the field to the three-quarter pole in 1:28.4. A :28.1 closing panel was enough to earn the filly the win by 2-1/4 lengths over Pure Kemp in 1:57. A Doozy settled for third prize.
Luc Blais trains the daughter of Muscle Hill-Danae for Determination of Montreal, QC. The freshman, who was a 1:58.2 winner in last week’s opening leg of the series, has stashed away more than $15,000 in her first three attempts.
The $37,000 final of the Pure Ivory Series will take place next Monday, August 15.
Monday’s card also saw a group of seven go postward in the $34,000 Preferred Trot, with Whiskey Tax taking home bragging rights thanks to his come-from-behind score in 1:52.1.
Randy Waples had the veteran buried on the rail for most of the mile while Fearless Man and Lookslikeachpndale took turns on the lead through hot fractions of :27, :54.3 and 1:23.1. Waples angled Whiskey Tax off the rail in the lane, and the gelding used a :28.1 closing panel to prevail by three-quarters of a length over Harper Blue Chip. Third prize went to race favourite Etruscan Hanover.
Trainer Tom Durand co-owns the speedster with his wife, June, and partner Allan Smith of Oakville, Ont. The eight-year-old son of Revenue S-Bourbon Belle now boasts a 2-2-4 record from 10 starts this season. The 16-time winner is quickly closing in on millionaire status.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.