(Photo of driver Doug McNair and Winter Sweet Frost courtesy of New Image Media)
On A Sunny Day and Winter Sweet Frost put some distance between themselves and the rest of the two-year-old trotting filly field with repeat Gold Series wins at Mohawk Racetrack on Tuesday evening.
On A Sunny Day made it clear from the start of the first $70,000 division that she was looking for her second Gold trophy. The Muscle Mass daughter and driver Sylvain Filion left smartly from Post 7 and reached the opening quarter in :28. The fan favourites continued to lead through the :57.4 half and then held off challenger Literally through the 1:28.1 three-quarters before accelerating away to a one and one-half length win in a personal best 1:57.2. Former Grassroots winner Literally had to settle for second in her Gold Series debut, with Tropicana AS earning a third-place result in her first lifetime start.
“She was a little more aggressive tonight,” noted Milton resident Filion. “There was no taking back, I had to go forward with her, but once she cleared the front she relaxed and she came back to me nice, and she was well in hand at the wire.”
The leading reinsman in the Ontario Sires Stakes program, Filion drives On A Sunny Day for trainer-breeder Luc Blais of Lochaber Ouest, QC and owner Determination of Montreal, QC. The filly is a perfect two-for-two and has banked $70,000 for her connections.
In the second division driver Doug McNair employed a similar strategy with favourite Winter Sweet Frost. After watching Mass Psychology ring up a :29 quarter, McNair put Winter Sweet Frost on the front and the Kadabra daughter cruised effortlessly through a :59.1 half and 1:29 three-quarters on her way to a two and one-half length victory over Gravitator and Expose Yourself. The 1:58.2 clocking was a new personal best for Winter Sweet Frost, who is also flawless through two starts.
“She raced good, I was happy with her,” said McNair. “I don’t think she’s been at her best yet though.”
The Guelph resident steers Winter Sweet Frost for trainer Paul Reid of De Leon Springs, FL and owner-breeder Robert Key of Leechburg, PA.
The final division saw first-time starter Magic Presto demonstrate some of the potential trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman had glimpsed through the winter. Starting from Post 5 the Kadabra daughter and driver Trevor Henry landed fourth as fan favourite Sweet Of My Heart led the field to a :28.3 quarter, then moved up to third when Hudsons Ya Ya broke stride in front of them before the :59.4 half.
Heading for the 1:29.2 three-quarters Henry sent Magic Presto after the leader and was able to tuck the filly in for a brief breather behind Sweet Of My Heart before making a final charge for the wire. Employing an impressive :27.3 final quarter, Magic Presto reeled in Sweet Of My Heart and hit the wire one length the best in 1:57.2. Lady Justice was well back in third.
“She trained down really good all winter, she’s always been one of our better ones,” said Norman. “She’s really good gaited and very good mannered, and the only thing that we were concerned about was she was so big and so growthy.”
The New Jersey-based trainer prepped Magic Presto for her Ontario Sires Stakes debut with a pair of qualifiers at The Meadowlands, where she finished sixth in 2:02.2 on June 25 and third in 2:00.2 on July 2.
“Her qualifiers had been just a little bit average at The Meadowlands. I was a little disappointed in her, she was a little weak,” admitted Norman. “But, like I said, she’s very big and very growthy, and I think she’ll just get better as we go, as she gets stronger. Good things to come hopefully.”
Mel Hartman of Ottawa, ON, breeder Herb Liverman of Miami Beach, FL, David McDuffee of Delray Beach, FL and Little E LLC of New York, NY share ownership of Magic Presto, who was a $160,000 yearling purchase from the 2015 Harrisburg Yearling Sale. The filly is a full-sister to former Gold Series winner Could It Be Magic, who has earned $213,156 in her career to date.
The two-year-old trotting fillies will return to Mohawk Racetrack in two weeks, on Tuesday, Aug. 2, for their third Gold Series start while their Grassroots peers arrive at the Campbellville oval on Thursday, July 21 for the second event on their calendar. The Grassroots trotting lasses will battle in Races 3, 6, and 10. Post time is 7:30 pm.
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