Denis Breton owns not one, but two top-class freshman pacing colts, and in Saturday’s Gold final at Flamboro Downs, the Welland resident’s hopes will be riding on Windsong Jack.
The colt heads into Saturday’s test off a sharp 1:57.2 qualifying win at Mohawk Racetrack on September 7, which was his first appearance since a pylon violation saw him placed back to sixth in the August 6 final of the Battle of Waterloo, won by his stablemate, and Breton’s other colt, Tarpon Hanover.
“I think he did really, really well in that race,” says Breton of the colt’s Battle of Waterloo effort. “Now 'Tarpon' is resting and it’s up to 'Jack.'”
Breton shares ownership of Windsong Jack with Larry Menary of Cheltenham, Kenneth Ewen of Georgetown and Geoffrey Lyons Mound of Burford. The partners acquired the son of Santanna Blue Chip and $457,650 winner Milliondollarsmile out of last fall’s Canadian Yearling Sale for $48,000 and have recouped $69,000 through the youngster’s first five starts.
“We got him at the Flamboro sale. Dave (Menary) was really keen on him,” recalls Breton. “Dave’s a great trainer and he’s got an eye for yearlings.”
Windsong Jack made his Ontario Sires Stakes debut in the Grassroots season opener at Flamboro Downs on July 4 and rocked around the half-mile oval to a 13-length victory in 1:56.1. Off that effort, trainer Dave Menary moved the colt up to the Gold Series program for the second event, and Windsong Jack was a runner-up to Mach Pride in both his July 15 elimination and the July 22 Gold final.
The pacer then won his July 20 Battle of Waterloo elimination in a personal best 1:55.1, but was denied a share of the $300,000 final purse due to the pylon violation.
Regular reinsman Scott Zeron will steer Windsong Jack from Post 2 in Saturday’s $130,000 Gold final, and Breton is expecting a strong effort from the pair over Flamboro’s half-mile oval.
“I think with him, he’s got a quick burst of speed,” says the owner. “Scott has always said he’s better maneuvering on a smaller track, which is why I think Flamboro will suit him well.”
Only five colts will go behind the starting gate in Saturday’s final, having advanced directly to the $130,000 contest without need for eliminations. While Breton knows all five colts are capable of capturing the Gold-final crown, he expects reigning Gold-final champion Mach Pride and Menary’s second entry, Slight Touch, to be Windsong Jack’s toughest competition.
“The two others we have to watch for are Slight Touch, Dave’s other colt, and obviously we have to watch for Mach Pride,” says Breton. “They are definitely the two we have to watch.”
Slight Touch, a Badlands Hanover colt Menary conditions for Robert Seguin of Gatineau, QC, heads into his fourth Gold Series start off an impressive 1:53.1 victory in an overnight event at Mohawk Racetrack on August 31. Chris Christoforou will steer Slight Touch from Post 3. Mach Pride, with Anthony MacDonald in the race bike, will start from Post 4 and will be making his first start since the August 6 final of the Battle of Waterloo, where he finished second by seven lengths to Tarpon Hanover.
The other two Gold Series hopefuls in Saturday’s second race are Bad Boy Hill, who was third in the Battle of Waterloo and gets Post 1, and first time Ontario Sires Stakes starter F Twenty Two, who makes his debut from Post 5.
The freshman pacing colts will battle in the second race on Flamboro Downs’ Saturday evening program, which gets under way at 6:00 p.m.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Flamboro, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Flamboro Downs.
(OSS)