After daughters of Shadow Play captured the first two Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots events for three-year-old pacing fillies on Tuesday (Sept. 4) at Flamboro Downs, the Jack Darling Stables' Neon Moon ($4.40) stole the show with an electrifying 1:54.1 mile in the final division.
With odds-on favourite Lady Bubbles off stride at the start, the daughter of Sportswriter was able to overcome post 8 and work clear of Shadow World (J Harris) through a :28.1 first quarter before keeping that rival at bay for the rest of the journey. Neon Moon and driver Jason Ryan controlled middle splits of :57.4 and 1:25.4 before maintaining a solid pace to the winning post. Shadow World checked in 1-1/4 lengths behind in second, while Iveseenthefuture (Scott Coulter) rallied mildly off the home turn to take third.
Jack Darling trains Neon Moon, now a four-time winner this season and a nine-time winner over her career.
In the first division, Azure Seelster ($4.00) and Tyler Moore posted a wire-to-wire win in 1:54.3 over pocket rival Color Envy (James MacDonald) and the first-over Saulsbrook Beauty (Mike Saftic). Jacques Dupont trains the six-time winner for Québecois interests Les Ecuries Dorleans Inc., 2745 5815 Québec Inc., Sylvain Descheneaux and Paul Lehoux.
The second division saw Hello Love ($2.40) and James MacDonald sustain a first-over grind to convert at fives-on favouritism, wearing down pacesetter Sunday Afternoon (Saftic) and holding off a late push from eventual runner-up Lifelong Dream (Coutler) by a length in 1:55.2. Mark Steacy trains the six-time winner for Landmark 10 Racing Stable, J & T Silva Stables, Bertrand Gilhespy Stable and Conrad Leber.
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Flamboro Downs.