(Photo of Sir Native courtesy of New Image Media)
As the two-year-old Ontario Sires Stakes season gets into full swing across the province, it was the pacing fillies turn to shine at Mohawk Racetrack on Tuesday evening.
Two $105,000 Gold Series divisions went postward at the Campbellville oval and it was fan favourites Sir Native and driver Jody Jamieson who emerged victorious from the first contest. Starting from Post 3 in a field cut down to five starters due to sickness, Jamieson tucked Sir Native into the pocket behind Southwind Geo and watched that filly ring up fractions of :27.4, :57.3 and 1:26.2 before moving into the outer lane and accelerating away to a three-quarter length victory in 1:54.1. Vintage Book closed hard to be second, leaving Southwind Geo four and one-half lengths back in third.
“I thought this filly had an outside shot tonight, but then with the scratches it really opened the door for her, big time, to get a great trip,” said Moffat, ON resident Jamieson. “She was a very, very easy winner.”
Jamieson picked up the drive aboard Sir Native when Trevor Henry opted for Southwind Geo in a two-year-old overnight event at Mohawk on June 23. Jamieson finished second with the Mike Weller trainee in the overnight test to earn himself a repeat appearance in her race bike on Tuesday.
“I picked her up last week and I got to keep her because I had a little bit of success with her,” said Jamieson. “She’s just a little filly, but great gaited, huge heart; her heart is probably bigger than the rest of her.”
Georgetown, ON resident Weller is also new to Sir Native’s retinue, taking over from Ohio-based trainer Steven Carter, who qualified the Allamerican Native daughter twice at Delaware in June before shipping her north. Chuck Grubbs of Louisville, KY leases Sir Native from breeder Thomas Cave of Campbellsville, KY.
The second Gold trophy was awarded to Action Majesty and driver Doug McNair, who took command of the race before the halfway marker and then dug in for a neck victory over Aint Three Ok in 1:54.1. Soiree Seelster finished three lengths behind the battling leaders in third.
“She was a little green on the top,” said Guelph, ON resident McNair, noting that the filly lost some of her momentum on the front end. “But when the one (Aint Three Ok) got to her she kind of come back on again.
“She feels like she’ll be a better filly following, but it worked out tonight,” added the reinsman.
Gregg McNair conditions Action Majesty for owner-breeder Kenneth Sommer of Sheffield, OH and the Guelph resident said the Royal Mattjesty daughter was a little unpredictable through her winter lessons, but always demonstrated real ability.
“She was a little erratic, but she was always the fastest filly we had training down,” said the elder McNair.
The filly, sent off as the fans’ top choice on Tuesday, qualified twice at Mohawk, posting a win on June 10 and finishing fifth on June 17, and then captured a two-year-old overnight event on June 23 with a 1:56.4 come-from-behind effort.
Action Majesty and Sir Native will hope to reprise their success when the second leg of the two-year-old pacing filly Gold Series goes postward at Mohawk on Monday, July 18.
The Campbellville oval’s next Ontario Sires Stakes event features the two-year-old pacing colts in their Grassroots debut on Thursday, July 7. The colts will show off their skills in Races 3, 6, 8, and 9, with the evening’s first race going behind the starting gate at 7:30 pm.
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