Ontario’s talented three-year-old pacing colts returned to Gold Series competition on Friday, Sept. 18 at Woodbine Mohawk Park after spending the last month competing in Grand Circuit stakes.
The sole $156,400 division featured a showdown between point leaders Beaumond Hanover and Tattoo Artist, both riding three-race win streaks in Ontario Sires Stakes action, along with six other Gold Series rivals.
As they have in virtually every start this season, Tattoo Artist and driver Bob McClure rocketed away from Post 8 and led the field into the first turn. Beaumond Hanover and driver Jody Jamieson found themselves in the outer lane from Post 2 and opted to carry on, reaching the front heading by the :26.2 quarter, but McClure and Tattoo Artist quickly reclaimed the lead. The fan favourites rolled through a :54.4 half and 1:23 three-quarters and then kicked home for a one and one-quarter length victory in 1:50.1. Beaumond Hanover finished second and Rhythm In Motion was third.
“He’s really a pleasure to drive,” said McClure. “Horses as handy as him, as smart as him and with the lungs he has don’t come around often. I look forward to seeing him between every start.”
The win, Tattoo’s Artist’s seventh in 10 sophomore starts, came as a bit of a relief to trainer Dr. Ian Moore, who said the colt was not as sharp as he usually is on the training track this week.
“He actually didn’t train very good on Tuesday, for the first time. Normally he trains really good and he wasn’t so keen there Tuesday. I didn’t tell Bobby that of course, but he did warm up very sharp tonight so I did tell him that,” said Moore with a chuckle. “I’m going to talk to Frank Cannon and Eric Cherry tomorrow and I think that we’re probably going to try him in the US next Friday (Sept. 25) at Hoosier for the Jennas Beach Boy, which Century Farroh won last year, because Century Farroh has one the same night, so I think I’ll send them both.”
Cannon of Sanford, FL and Cherry, through his Let It Ride Stables Inc. of Boca Raton, FL, share ownership of Tattoo Artist and if the pair is in agreement the colt will be reunited with his winter caretaker Brad Firlotte at Indiana’s Hoosier Park.
“He’s worked for me in Florida for the last ten years and he looked after Tattoo as a two-year-old and then he looked after him again last fall until he left as three-year-old,” said Moore of Florida-based Firlotte, who will fly up to Indiana. “He won’t have Giselle with him, his regular caretaker Giselle Loder, but that’s the way it is at the border, right.”
The three-year-old pacing colts have one Gold leg remaining, Oct. 9 at The Raceway at the Western Fair District, and the Super Final, Oct. 17 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Those are the only stakes engagements remaining on Tattoo Artist’s calendar, unless Cannon and Cherry opt to supplement the son of Hes Watching to the Breeders Crown eliminations Oct. 24 at Hoosier Park.
“No matter what happens for the rest of the year, he’s had a great year. I think that puts him over half a million for the year, so I don’t think anybody will complain,” said Moore. “He’s a sweet little guy, no doubt about it. We’ve had a lot of fun with him and enjoyed every minute of it.”
Complete results from Friday’s program are available at Woodbine Mohawk Park Results. Gold Series point standings can be found on the Ontario Sires Stakes Leaderboard.
Race Replay: Race 8 – Tattoo Artist
(Photo of Bob McClure and Tattoo Artist courtesy Mario Glynn_New Image Media)
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