The Ontario Sires Stakes rolled back into Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday with two-year-old pacing fillies butting heads in a quartet of $18,000 divisions.
Marachere turned a two-hole trip into a maiden-breaking victory in her division for driver Jonathan Drury and trainer/co-owner Carmen Auciello. The recently-purchased daughter of Lis Mara-Cherry Tree Coco was covered up by the pacesetting Southwind Luna through fractions of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:26.2 before tipping out of the pocket and kicking home in :28 to post the 1:54.4 score over Southwind Luna and OK Hallelujah.
The filly, who was making her second start for Auciello and partners Robert Watson, Armando Cappuccitti, and Mike Bartram, lifted her earnings to $15,660 with the win. In three tries she’s managed to manufacture a 1-1-1 record.
Ride Away Shark powered to the top from Post 4 and cruised to an easy win in the second division for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Scott McNiven. Sent off as the 4-5 favourite, the daughter of Classic Card Shark-Freedom Away threw down splits of :27, :55.3 and 1:24.4 before finishing off the winning effort with a :30-second closing quarter. She held on to win by three-quarters of a length over Dublin Rose, with Amazing Control coming on strong to finish third.
Kim McNiven of Putnam and Tom Brodhurst of London, Ontario share ownership on the rookie, who has assembled a 3-0-1 record in eight trips to the track. She’s banked more than $28,000 in the process.
Sassafras Girl played – and won – a game of “catch me if you can” in the third division. Phil Hudon rolled the Murray Brethour pupil through fractions of :27, :56 and 1:25 before sprinting home in :28.3 to win by 2-1/4 lengths over Twin B Honour in 1:53.3. The show dough went to the hard-closing Little Miss Artist.
Hutt Racing Stable of Paoli, Pennsylvania owns the daughter of Badlands Hanover-Tug River Della, who is 4-for-8 this season. The lion’s share of the loot lifted her earnings to $31,280.
Ms Mac N Cheese led at every call en route to notching a 1:54 score in the final division. Sylvain Filion had the filly on the lead through intervals of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:25.4 before calling on her to charge home in :28.1. She won by 2-1/2 lengths over Evas Girl, with OK Heavenly taking home third prize.
The victory was the fifth of the season in seven tries for the career winner of $33,467. The daughter of Badlands Hanover-Mr Delis Filly is owned by David Ratchford of North Sydney, Nova Scotia.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.