Scott McEneny pupil Boxer Seelster had a successful tune-up ahead of the Metro Pace eliminations when delivering as the 6-5 choice in his $82,643 division of the Champlain Stakes for two-year-old pacers on Saturday night, Sept. 7 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
After getting nailed from a front-stepping effort last Saturday in an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold division, driver Trevor Henry gave Boxer Seelster a methodical steer into contention. Henry secured a second-over tow after a :56.1 half that became a third-over seat as 6-5 second choice Century Lucifer (James MacDonald) popped pocket to challenge pacesetter Mad River (Louis-Philippe Roy). With a five-length deficit off three-quarters in 1:25, Henry fed Boxer Seelster racetrack and swallowed his foes into the last eighth of the mile to grab a three-quarter-length win in 1:52.2. Twin B Courageous (Bob McClure), at 65-1, rallied for second while Century Lucifer settled for third.
“He’s getting racey; he’s getting aggressive, which is good in a way,” said Henry after the race. “But he’s fit and coming into [the Metro Pace] at the right time. I think he’s as good as any of them.”
By McEneny graduates Bettors Delight and dam Big Thong, Boxer Seelster collected his third victory from six starts for his trainer celebrating a birthday on Saturday. He’s now banked $196,822 for owners McEneny, Aristi Varsakis, Martwest Racing LP and Cantucky Farm Inc. He paid $4.50 to win.
Sterling Choice won leading nearly every step in the other $81,642 division of the Champlain for pacing two-year-olds. Driver James MacDonald motored the roan son of Betterthancheddar-Platinum Choice out of post six and carved a sensible clip of :27.1, :55.2 and 1:23.3 wrapped to a bow in 1:52.1 after rebuffing a pocket pounce by Ayeaye Captain Deo (Sylvain Filion). D A Love Boat (Tyler Jones) stormed from last to grab second while Ayeaye Captain Deo levelled off for third.
“He’s been close all year, just knocking on the door,” said MacDonald. “Blake [MacIntosh] mentioned he’d love to see me try him on the front. I thought when the half came up maybe I overdid it a bit. He looked like he was beat, and it takes a pretty stubborn horse to come back on and do that.”
MacIntosh trains and co-owns Sterling Choice, a maiden no more in start eight and an earner of $166,892, with Ozzie MacKay, Tammy Lynn MacKay and Gilles Landry. He paid $4.20 to win.
In the $83,622 first Champlain division for two-year-old pacing fillies, Nice Buns upended 1-2 favourite Perfectly Chic with a final-stride blow to a head win.
Driver James MacDonald worked the trail with Nice Buns behind Perfectly Chic (Bob McClure), who cut a tempo of :28, :57.1 and 1:26.1 while seeming poised to sprint away into the stretch. However, the Tony Beaton-trained daughter of Sweet Lou and Tongue In Cheek had room to angle three-wide off the pylons, gather her feet and soar forward for a narrow win in 1:53.3. Perfectly Chic settled for second while Papis Opinion (Sylvain Filion), making a first-over move around the final turn, faded but held third.
“I didn’t think she was going to get there,” said MacDonald. “When you back out like that, you lose momentum. I just didn’t know what my filly was capable of, but it was nice to see what she could do off a helmet. I’m really proud of her tonight.”
Nice Buns races for owners Casie Coleman and Dumain Haven Farm LLC, and is eligible for the Shes A Great Lady Stakes. She earned her second win from three starts and has now earned $49,811. Nice Buns paid $5.70 to win.
Cant See Me never felt a worry in a thievery mile to take the other $83,623 division of the Champlain for freshman pacing fillies.
With no enthusiasm going forward, driver Bob McClure inherited the top seat with Cant See Me in a :29.1 crawl to the first quarter. The accelerator only started pushing after a :58.1 half, but the soft speed only sealed the back-half sprint for Cant See Me. The Captaintreacherous-Unseen filly clicked past three-quarters in 1:26.2 and scampered away to a 2-3/4-length win in 1:53.1 with pocket-chaser Bonhomie Hanover (Scott Zeron) left in second. Au Jus Hanover (James MacDonald) sat a ground-saving trip to take third.
“You usually don’t get that lucky in a race like that going for that kind of money,” said trainer Mark Steacy. “That sets us up real good for next week.”
Bound for the Shes A Great Lady eliminations next Saturday, Cant See Me has now won three races from five tries and earned $106,312 for owner Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. She paid $7.60 to win.
With the victory, Bob McClure hit a career milestone as the 33-year-old Rockwood, Ont. reinsman's lifetime earnings soared over the $50 million mark. A 2020 O'Brien Award winner as Canada's Driver of the Year, he has won 3,458 races lifetime, including 117 this year.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Woodbine; Photos, clockwise from top left, of Boxer Seelster, Sterling Choice, Cant See Me and Nice Buns)