Bono To Relish 'Intense' Saturday

It’ll be an ‘intense’ Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park this weekend for longtime Quebec racehorse owner Gaetan Bono, which suits him just fine.

Bono has two horses entered in lucrative stakes that night. They’re siblings and homebreds, to boot, both produced by broodmare Intense America from the stallion he co-owns, Justice Hall.

Intense Justice will line up for the $405,000 Peaceful Way final for two-year-old trotting fillies and her brother, Only For Justice, will contest the $605,000 Canadian Trotting Classic against a star-studded field of three-year-olds that will include Hambletonian champ Forbidden Trade and Green Manalishi S.

Only For Justice has earned more than $225,000 to date and Intense Justice is past $105,000 already. They were the first two foals of Intense America, a Bono star from a decade ago who was runner-up in the Peaceful Way final of 2010 to Crys Dream. He’d purchased the Taurus Dream mare privately from French horseman Jean-Pierre Dubois.

“She got injured at three, but still was the best mare I ever had,” said the now-retired businessman, who has owned Standardbreds for more than three decades. “Sadly, she passed away last winter. She slipped on ice at the farm and broke a shoulder. They did two operations at St. Hyacinthe (veterinary hospital) to try and save her, but she was in too much pain. I’m hoping Intense Justice eventually will replace her, giving us a continuation of a great mare who was like part of the family.”

Intense Justice, pictured victorious at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Intense Justice, a two-time Ontario Sires Stakes Gold winner this year, finished a good fourth behind Dip Me Hanover in her elimination last week.

“My trainer (Dany Fontaine) was high on her from day one. Right after breaking her, he said ‘stake her for whatever you want.’ That’s the first time he ever told me that,” Bono said.

Only For Justice, pictured victorious at Hippodrome 3R.

Only For Justice enters the CTC off of an easy victory last week in the Quebec Breeders final at Hippodrome 3R. He’s facing a much taller challenge Saturday, especially after having drawn Post 9, but Bono said he’s happy just to be in the race against the likes of Forbidden Trade.

“I bet Forbidden Trade in the Hambletonian. He’s a great horse. We finished third to him in the OSS Super Final last year and if we could do that again, I’d be happy. I hope to breed Intense Justice to him some day,” said Bono, who owns four broodmares and six racehorses along with a half-interest in Justice Hall.

To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Mohawk, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(A Trot Insider exclusive by Paul Delean)