When Wayne McGean was warming up Bronx Seelster at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday night (September 28), the trainer figured the two-year-old pacing colt’s win streak was going to be halted at two. The youngster was sluggish and did not seem keen to engage his Ontario Sired peers in the fourth Gold Series event of their season.
“I’m telling you, I didn’t like him warming up tonight,” said McGean. “He was quiet and I told Trevor (Henry) that.”
Driver Trevor Henry lined up at post nine with the division leader and settled the colt in fifth as Fast N First led the field to a :27 opening quarter. Fast N First had a brief tenure on the lead before being overtaken by Better Than Cash, who in turn was quickly demoted by Bettors Wish heading by the :55.1 half.
As the lead changed hands in front of him, Henry had tipped Bronx Seelster into the outer lane and once the colt caught the fading early leaders he was able to tuck in behind Bettors Wish through the 1:23.1 three-quarters and into the stretch. Sliding out from behind Bettors Wish well into the lane, Henry asked Bronx Seelster for another gear and the fan favourite delivered, powering home to a one-length victory in 1:52. Bettors Wish settled for second and Perkins finished well behind the leaders in third.
“I didn’t think he was going to win it. At the third flag pole down, he was still a length and a half off,” admitted McGean. “Trevor got after him and he just got him out off the wheel, and he just dug in. He’s got such determination. He’s just so determined and he fights on, he doesn’t take back. He’s just one of them horses, they’re hard to find.”
The win was Bronx Seelster’s third straight over the Woodbine Mohawk Park oval and his third in Gold Series competition, putting him atop the division standings with 175 points. In 10 starts, the son of Big Jim and Tarport Baccarat has netted seven wins and two seconds for earnings of $341,810. He posted his personal best 1:51.2 winning his September 7 Champlain Stakes division against some of North America’s best young pacing colts.
“Myself, Brent Bradbury and Dave Mercer are on a big roll, we’re on a roll we never ever dreamed of,” said the Nova Scotia resident of his Capers 3 Stable partners. “And to cap it all off, Better Single won the next race, the eighth race, and Dave Mercer, my partner, owns half of that one, so he had two Golds back-to-back.”
Mercer barely had time to finish celebrating Bronx Seelster’s victory before he was heading back out to the winner’s circle with two-year-old pacing filly Better Single, who parlayed a pocket trip into a neck victory in a personal best 1:53.4. Pacesetter Powerful Chris settled for second and Be Best was three lengths back in third. All three fillies are by sire Betterthancheddar.
James MacDonald engineered the win for trainer Anthony Beaton of Waterdown, Ont., and Sydney, Nova Scotia resident Mercer, who share ownership of the consistent youngster.
“She’s picked up a cheque every time she’s stepped on the track for us, and like I say, fingers crossed, hopefully she continues for the next two starts,” said Beaton. “I’m pretty sure we’re planning on the next start for next Saturday in the Gold, and then the Super Final, obviously.”
Friday’s victory was Better Single’s second in Gold Series action and boosted her to the top of the division standings with 117 points. In eight starts, the filly now has two wins, one third, one fourth and four fifths for earnings of $157,885.
Cafe Society won the other $98,000 pacing filly Gold division, getting up late for the 1:55.1 victory after the fans’ top four choices got snarled up coming off the last turn. Turncoat was two and one-quarter lengths back in second and fan favourite Ideation Hanover finished third.
Jonathan Drury piloted Cafe Society to her first-ever Gold Series win for trainer Casie Coleman and her partners in the West Wins Stable of Cambridge, Ont., Kevin McKinlay of Holland Landing, Ont., and Jim Fielding of Toronto. Like Better Single, Cafe Society is a daughter of Coleman’s former trainee Betterthancheddar.
The other $97,200 pacing colt division went to Sports Teen, who also closed from mid-pack in the wind and rain to claim the neck victory. The son of Sportswriter hit the wire in a personal best 1:53.1, just ahead of Twin B Watching and fan favourite Better Up.
Louis Philippe Roy, who currently sits atop the Ontario Sires Stakes drivers’ standings, crafted the colt’s second straight win for trainer Paul Reid and owner Robert Key of Leechburg, Pennsylvania.
The two-year-old pacing colts and fillies will wrap up their Gold Series regular season at Woodbine Mohawk Park next Saturday, Oct. 6.
This Saturday, Sept. 29, the Campbellville oval hosts the $400,000 Grassroots Championships, with eight division finals going postward in Races 1 through 3, and 5 through 9. The Championships get under way at 7:10 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from OSS)