July 6, 2024
By Ontario Sires Stakes Communications
MILTON, July 5, 2024 – The Ontario Sires Stakes two-year-old Gold Series male pacers began their season Friday at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
With $95,000 on the line in the two Gold Series events Friday, Race 2 kicked things off with Century Lucifer (Shadow Play) scoring his first career victory in just his second-ever start for trainer Rene Dione, breeder Century Spring Farms (Gorrie, Ont.), and owners S&R Racing Stable Inc. (Acton, Ont.), Marc Trudeau (St-Sauveur, Que.), SMS Ventures Inc. (Montreal, Que.) and M and L of Delaware LLC. (Wilmington, Del.)
Clocking in at 1:54, Century Lucifer took early command, coming in at the quarter pole in :27.1. By the halfway mark, he had conceded his lead and dropped back to second reach the midway point in :56.2, but regained his form through the latter half of the race, finding the three-quarter mark in 1:25.3 before just managing to hold off Set Shot (Bettors Delight) down the final stretch to win.
Driver Paul MacDonell liked what he saw from the young colt behind the reins.
“I was really impressed,” MacDonell said in the winner’s circle. “They told me he might be a tad aggressive when he went onto the track, but I didn’t find him bad at all until the gate said, ‘Go.’ So, he got a little bit fired up when the horses started to cross in front of him and I had to go onto the front, but after that he was perfect to drive. He’s just a really nice colt.”
Race 6 hosted the other Gold event of the evening at Mohawk with Stonebridge Wizard (Dancin Lou) coming from behind to score his second career victory in as many starts.
The Jared Bako-trainee came along the outside, chasing down the favourited Allstar Maniac (All Bets Off) and Sterling Choice (Betterthancheddar) to win by nearly a full length in a time of 1:52.
Stonebridge Wizard came out of the gate starting in fourth and held that position through the quarter mark in a time of :26.2. He moved up to third by halfway and stayed within that striking range through three quarters of the race, with splits of :55 and 1:23.2. It wasn’t until the final stretch of the race that driver Doug McNair steered Stonebridge Wizard to the outside and made use of the rookie’s strong finishing kick to make the come-from-behind win possible.
“Nice Colt, very professional for this time of year,” McNair said of Stonebridge Wizard after the race. “Hopefully he keeps going in the right direction. I loved driving his dad for the couple times I drove him, and he acts the same, manners-wise.”
Stonebridge Wizard is owned by David Kryway (Amherstburg, Ont.) and was bred by Angie Stiller (London, Ont.).
Complete results from Friday’s program are available here and replays can be viewed on the Woodbine Mohawk Park website.
The next OSS Gold series race will see the Mid-Season Final for three-year-old trotting fillies, as well as the first leg of the two-year-old pacing fillies competing on July 6 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
FEATURED PHOTO: Century Lucifer competing at at Woodbine Mohawk Park on July 5, 2024 (Clive Cohen/New Image Media)
IN-LINE PHOTO: Stonebridge Wizard competing at at Woodbine Mohawk Park on July 5, 2024 (Clive Cohen/New Image Media)
More Top Racing Headlines