October 13, 2023
By Frank Cotolo for Ontario Racing
MILTON, October 13, 2023 - Bob McClure made his first drive on Storm Shadow a stunning 32-1 upset in the $300,000 two-year-old colt and gelding pace Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series Super Final on Friday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The time for the mile was a lifetime-best 1:51.1.
The field was reduced to eight when Nijinsky and Wikipedia scratched.
Driver McClure got the most out of the Bettors Delight colt late in the stretch as 1-9 favorite Funtime Bayama was struggling to hold the lead he worked through fast fractions to get.
"He felt like a nice horse right away, nice and relaxed," McClure said after the race he was happy with the colt's response in the fiery mile. "I'd be lying if I said I expected to win but I thought I had a shot at getting a good cheque." Also, he was surprised at the win price. "I don't think he should've paid those odds."
Trainer Dr. Ian Moore said he was "not necessarily happy first over but this colt has improved every time we've raced him," and McClure said, "it was an easy decision to move him. Ian's horses are ready to go and he's had a good year."
Dr. Moore had a lot of confidence coming to Woodbine Mohawk Park for the Super Final after Storm Shadow's big win in the $100,400 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series Final at Flamboro last week, especially since it was tough getting him to that level.
"We got him from the Harrisburg sale," Dr. Moore said. "He came from Tara Hills Stud and I got a week in him and then he got a colic and we had to do a colic surgery on him. He was off for two full months. He started back on the track at the end of January.He was a late bloomer. Now, he doesn't need a whip tap anymore. He just goes on his own."
Storm Shadow was aggressive early, taking the lead for a short time over Chain Gang and Mirage Hanover past the :26 first quarter.
He sat cold as Funtime Bayama left the pylons and muscled to the top in an attempt to dominate the group going into a :53.4 half and was still in charge clocking three-quarters in 1:23.
Free of traffic mid-stretch, Storm Shadow gained rapidly as Funtime Bayama was all out to stay afloat in front.
McClure hand-drove his colt easily and out-paced Crush Kill Destroy, at 79-1, who took second zooming along grandstand-wide.
Funtime Bayama, the overwhelming public choice, just held on to take the third spot.
R G McGroup Ltd., Serge Savard, Mac Nichol, and Bolton Farms LLC own Storm Shadow. The Bettors Delight-Fade colt rose his earnings to $287,054 winning his third in nine starts.
Storm Shadow is bred by Tara Hills Stud Ltd in Port Perry, ON.
Dr. Moore said if the colt came out of the race all right that the team may be headed to Hoosier Park in the U.S. to take on the freshman division in The Breeders Crown next.
Storm Shadow finished fourth at 55-1 in a Metro Pace elimination and was dismissed by the public at 80-1 in the final, finishing fifth.
His upset win paid $67.70.
Complete results from Friday’s Super Finals are available
here and replays can be viewed on the Woodbine Mohawk Park YouTube
channel.
More Top Racing Headlines