(Photo of driver Sylvain Filion and On A Sunny Day courtesy of New Image Media)
Ontario’s elite three-year-old trotters and pacers were showcased at Mohawk Racetrack on Saturday and Milton resident Sylvain Filion guided three of his eight mounts to victory in their respective Gold Series divisions.
Filion, currently the leading driver in the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) and a four-time winner of the year-end Lampman Cup award, got things rolling in the first race guiding three-year-old trotting filly On A Sunny Day to her second straight Gold Series victory. The fan favourite trotted under the wire in a personal best 1:53.3, four and one-half lengths ahead of pacesetter Royal Witch. Gisele Treelane was well back in third.
“She raced good, we got a nice two-hole trip and as soon as I moved her out of the two-hole halfway around the last turn I knew she was the winner,” said Filion. “She felt good, she trotted home strong, I never pulled the plugs on her, she was just very good tonight.”
Filion drives On A Sunny Day for trainer Luc Blais of Lochaber Ouest and owner Determination of Montreal, QC. A four-time Gold Series winner at two, the Muscle Mass daughter sports a lifetime record of seven wins, two seconds and earnings of $298,680 in 11 starts.
The driver then completed a sweep of the three-year-old trotting colt divisions with a pair of Kadabra sons, notching a 1:56.1 victory with Magic Night and a 1:55 triumph with R First Class. Clarion Hall and Scene A Magician finished behind fan favourite Magic Night, while R First Class held off favourite Try Try Again and LMC Mass Gem.
“That first one of Susie Kerwood’s (Magic Night), that was the first time I drove him and he’s a nice big trotter,” said Filion. “Once he got to the front he was pretty lazy, I had to chase him the whole way, but at the top of the stretch he found another gear. In the post parade he was pretty grabby, like he was almost hot, and then during the race he was lazy, almost caught me off guard there.”
Filion has now driven R First Class four times, steering the gelding to three wins and one second, and the reinsman is impressed with how the youngster is developing. The son of former Gold winner World Class Image ($300,756) has made just seven starts lifetime.
“He got a little tired late, but he hung on for the win, he raced tough,” said the reinsman. “He’s still learning. He’s a nice, big strong trotter and I’m pretty sure he’s much better covered up, so hopefully next time out we’ll be able to race him covered up.”
It was the second straight Gold Series win for Kadabra gelding Magic Night, who is trained by Susanne Kerwood for Tommy Andersson, both of Rockwood, and the first-ever OSS win for R First Class, who is trained by Guelph resident Benoit Baillargeon and owned by breeders Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin of St. Catharines, ON.
Top three-year-old pacing colt Classic Pro returned to Gold Series action Saturday after finishing third in the Meadowlands Pace in New Jersey on July 15. With regular reinsman Trevor Henry of Arthur, ON in the race bike the Shadow Play son cruised to a 1:51 victory over Calvin K and Red John.
Dr. Ian Moore of Puslinch, ON conditions Classic Pro for his partners R G McGroup Ltd of Bathurst, NB and Serge Savard of St-Bruno, QC and the horseman was very satisfied with his star pupil’s second Gold Series win.
“He’s good, real good. He came home the Sunday (July 16) and I gave him Monday, Tuesday off, and then I jogged him Wednesday, Thursday, and then actually I did what I used to do with his father, I trained him yesterday, the day before, because the last time he raced in the Gold he was just so-so, if you remember,” said Moore, who also trained Shadow Play. “That’s after he had a rough week the week before where he raced really good in the North America Cup (finishing fourth), and then I went real easy on him and he was no good when I was easy on him, so he likes a bit of work.”
The second pacing colt division went to Sports Column, who picked up his first win of the season for trainer Blake MacIntosh of Cambridge, ON and his partners Hutt Racing Stable of Paoli, PA and Daniel Plouffe of Bromont, QC. In rein to Campbellville, ON resident Chris Christoforou, Jr. the son of Sportswriter hit the wire in a personal best 1:50.3, two lengths ahead of Dreamfair B J and two more up on Bills Fella.
“It’s very satisfying,” said MacIntosh of the colt’s victory. “We’ve been fighting with him all year trying to get him right. He’s raced okay, but he just hasn’t been himself.
“We schooled him there a couple weeks ago and he schooled great, and then we qualified him and he qualified great, and then he raced great tonight,” the trainer added.
Nascar Seelster captured the other pacing colt split in a personal best 1:51.4 for driver Randy Waples and trainer Bob McIntosh. Favourites Filion and Tymal Peacemaker were second and Streakavana was third. Windsor resident McIntosh shares ownership of the Mach Three son with Dave Boyle of Bowmanville, Mardon Stables of Loretto and James Walker of Port Perry, ON.
Milton, ON resident Waples also captured the second trotting filly division with Tymal Reign, besting Janderson and Majestic Kat in 1:55.4. Waples crafted the Kadabra daughter’s first OSS win for trainer Per Henriksen of Norwood and owners Steve Organ of Aurora and Asa Farm of Norwood, ON.
Guelph, ON residents Doug and Gregg McNair swept the three-year-old pacing filly divisions with The Joy Luck Club and Action Majesty, who clocked identical 1:51.1 miles. Fan favourite The Joy Luck Club romped to a three length victory over Soiree Seelster and Blameitonthenight, while Stonebridge Sundae and favourite Aint Three Ok finished in a dead-heat behind Action Majesty.
“The Joy Luck Club raced real good. I was going to race her from off (the pace), because she hasn’t been finishing on the big track, but there wasn’t much speed and once the half flashed up in :56.2 I figured she’d be tough to beat,” said driver Doug McNair. “Action Majesty raced good as well, especially for being off three weeks. I was happy the way she fought in the stretch; that was another big mile.”
Gregg McNair conditions The Joy Luck Club for his partners R A W Equine Inc. of Burlington and Mark Horner of St. Marys, ON. Saturday’s win was the Camluck daughter’s eleventh of the season, but her first in OSS action. Kenneth Sommer of Sheffield, OH bred and owns Royal Mattjesty daughter Action Majesty, who now has two sophomore Gold trophies to her credit.
Ontario Sires Stakes action continues at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday, July 24 with two Gold Series divisions for the two-year-old pacing fillies. Post time is 7:30 pm and the fillies will compete in Races 2 and 3.
More Top Racing Headlines