Rookies were in the spotlight Friday evening at Mohawk Racetrack as the Campbellville oval hosted the Ontario Sires Stakes’ Mid-Summer Challenge events, and it was a night that belonged to sons and daughters of Shadow Play.
The first-year sire swept the $150,000 Mid-Summer Challenge events thanks to impressive performances by Nefertiti Blue Chip and Arthur Blue Chip.
Nefertiti Bluechip pulled off a 15-1 upset in the filly event for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Jack Darling. Jamieson hustled the Shadow Play-Rising Sun miss to the lead and she supplied the field with a first quarter clocked in :26.4. She then took a backseat to her heavily-favoured stablemate, Alibi Seelster, in the backstretch. The public’s top choice cruised through middle panels of :55.4 and 1:24.4 over a track listed as ‘good’. Jamieson angled Nefertiti Bluechip off the rail in the lane, however, and she used a :29.1 closing panel to prevail by three-quarters of a length over Sudoku in a career-best clocking of 1:54. Alibi Seelster, who was sent off at odds of 3-5, faded to finish third.
“I’m as shocked as anybody,” admitted trainer Jack Darling in the winner’s circle. “Great drive, and she raced big, she came up big. Last week at Rideau she was just kind of a mediocre second, but she’s been fighting off sickness and allergies, and I guess she’s over it now.”
Jack Darling Stables Ltd of Cambridge, ON owns the youngster, who was a $50,000 purchase from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale. She’s put together a 2-1-1 record in her first four assignments, and she’s managed to stash away $108,900 in the process.
Arthur Blue Chip pulled off a 7-1 upset in the $150,000 event for the colts and geldings, and he did so with a trip very similar to the one Nefertiti Bluechip was treated to just two races earlier. Randy Waples engineered the garden-spot ride for the son of Shadow Play-Advantest, who stalked the pacesetting Crafty Master through panels of :27.2, :55.4 and 1:23.3. The leader began to tire as the field turned for home, and that sent Waples seeking a clear lane to the outside with Arthur Blue Chip. The colt used a :28.4 kicker to win by a half-length over Steady Warrior in 1:52.4. Cluster Hanover was third.
“I just told Randy (Waples), I said, he’s lazy, but I said if you get him up in the rigging he’ll go for you,” said trainer Dr. Ian Moore of Guelph. “He knows what it’s all about now. Randy said he was good, perfect.
“It’s quite a thrill for me, having had Shadow Play and now having some of his offspring to train and race, and also to see them race too,” added Moore. “Jack Darling, I was talking to him, his fillies did great so I’m very, very happy.”
Moore co-owns the colt with Rick Andreoli, Jonathan Besner, Diane Deslauriers, R G McGroup Ltd and former NHL legend, Serge Savard. Collectively, they form the Shadow One Stable of Guelph, ON. They shelled out $135,000 to purchase the half-brother to Kenneth J (1:49.3 - $1,592,755) at last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale. The talented freshman, who is now 2-for-3 in his career, has already banked $110,000 in earnings.
Dr. Reg Westgarth’s homebred, Regil Meg, broke her maiden in the $50,000 OSS Mid-Summer Challenge Consolation for pacing fillies. The daughter of Artistic Fella-Theoras Path brushed to the front in the backstretch for driver Doug McNair, who guided her through middle splits of :57 and 1:26 before tacking on a :29.3 closing quarter to win by 2-1/4 lengths over Goldies Mach in 1:55.3. Jokes Jet took home the show dough.
Sent off at odds of 9-2, Regil Meg is now 1-for-3 and her bankroll stands at $30,600.
Titus Seelster came up with a maiden-breaking tally of his own in the $50,000 OSS Mid-Summer Challenge Consolation for the colts and geldings. Sylvain Filion rolled his charge to the lead in the backstretch, and once they cleared to the top it was game over for everyone else. The speedy son of Artistic Fella-That Day wheeled through the middle stages of the mile in :56.1 and 1:25 before stepping home in :28.1 en route to the decisive tally in a career-best clocking of 1:53.1. It was 7-1/2 lengths back to race favourite, Weatherly. Bugger Bruiser rounded out the top three finishers.
Stephane Larocque trains the talented colt for the Quebec partnership of Brian Paquet and Bayama Farms Inc. Sent off at odds of 2-1, Titus Seelster now owns a 1-1-0 record from two trips postward and he boasts a bankroll that stands at $38,125. He was a $20,000 purchase from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale.
To view results for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.
(With quotes from OSS)