Saturday night’s Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Leg 4 for freshman male pacers was one that would make Bettors Delight proud.
Two sons, Fifth And Five and Boxer Seelster, avoided the interference that affected others in the stretch drive as they finished first and second, but not before some deep-stretch drama at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
After one scratch (Smiling Dancer, due to illness), ten colts and geldings went forward to battle in $140,000 OSS Gold division, including Nassagaweya winner Boxer Seelster, making his first Gold appearance.
Fifth And Five (driver Jody Jamieson) and Century Lucifer (Tyler Borth) were fast off the gate, with Borth’s colt making front before Boxer Seelster (Trevor Henry) soared past near the :26.4 opening quarter.
Jamieson tipped Fifth And Five from third to make front approaching the :55.2 half, only for Boxer Seelster to reclaim the lead. Century Lucifer made a first-over move from third, with Docs Buddy (Andrew McCarthy) and Sterling Choice (Dexter Dunn) both chasing his cover to three-quarters, reached in 1:23.2.
The stretch drive became even more suspenseful. Aquinas Hanover (Louis-Philippe Roy) broke stride while closing, and there was contact between Century Lucifer and Stonebridge Wizard (Doug McNair), which led to an inquiry. Fifth And Five was caught behind Boxer Seelster, loaded with pace but lacking racing room.
Jamieson was able to manoeuvre his colt up the inside path to overtake even-money favourite Boxer Seelster in the final strides of the 1:52 mile. He won by a length.
Following an inquiry, show finisher Century Lucifer was ruled to have initiated contact in the stretch, so he was set back to sixth, just behind Stonebridge Wizard, who ended up sixth-placed-fifth. Fourth-place Sterling Choice was moved up to third; Docs Buddy was fifth-placed-fourth.
The perfectly-timed victory was the second in seven lifetime starts for Battle of Waterloo elimination winner Fifth And Five (p, 2, 1:51.4; $147,110). Jody Jamieson waved at the crowd and patted the colt on the way to the winners’ circle.
“He’s been unlucky. He could’ve won every Gold this year. He was caught in the first two, and got picked up in his last start. He could’ve won it,” said the winning driver.
“He just loved this trip tonight … He shot through there like a gunshot,” added Jamieson. “He was back to himself tonight.”
Trainer Carl Jamieson said Fifth And Five had a very routine week going into the race: “Jog, train a little bit on Wednesday, and then come down here [to Mohawk].”
The elder Jamieson credited his grandson with paddocking the colt, and son Jody with purchasing Fifth And Five as a Lexington yearling for $32,000. The Bettors Delight colt is the first foal of Filou Fly Fast, and was bred by Darryl Kaplan of Toronto, Ont., Roy Sproxton, and Harbhajan Singh Dhillon of Brampton, Ont.
Fifth And Five is owned by Carl Jamieson of Puslinch, Ont., 1140545 Ontario LTD. of Guelph, Ont, and Trevor Edwards of Kirkton, Ont.
The OSS Gold Leg 5 for two-year-old male pacers is scheduled for Oct. 3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The divisional Gold Super Final will be at Mohawk on Oct. 12.
FEATURED IMAGE: Fifth And Five winning an OSS Gold division for two-year-old pacing males at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Aug. 31, 2024 (Clive Cohen/New Image Media)
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