ELORA, Ont., Sept. 6, 2024 – Top rookie trotters took centre stage as the Ontario Sires Stakes 50th Anniversary celebration tour made its penultimate stop at Grand River Raceway Friday.
Spread across two divisions for males and two divisions for fillies with $95,000 on the line, the fourth leg of the OSS Gold Series for two-year-old trotters was held at the new 5/8-mile track with colt Galen Erso (Green Manalishi S), gelding You Got It Kemp (Muscle Mass), and fillies Foxy Amee (Muscle Mass) and Medley Seelster (Wheeling N Dealin) emerging victorious.
Leading off the evening’s festivities, Galen Erso won in a time of 1:57.1 for the father-son, trainer-driver team of Gregg and Doug McNair.
The homebred of Marcus Melander of New Egypt, N.J., passed the :28.3 quarter mark in fourth position but quickly established dominance afterwards, trotting to the front of the pack and never looking back with midway and three-quarter splits of :57.3 and 1:27 before cruising to a 1-1/4-length victory.
“He’s been great all along,” said Doug McNair of Galen Erso. “He has a lot of trot and is very easy to drive.”
So far through the season, Galen Erso has been the top male rookie trotter having now won three Gold events and finishing second just down to the wire during the Gold Mid-Season Final. Despite, how strong he’s been this season, however, both McNairs believe there’s still more that he can show.
“Even tonight he wasn’t really trotting that good,” said Doug McNair. “He raced good and was tough enough to hold them off but he’s just not trotting 100 per cent. When dad warmed him up he said he didn’t warm up perfect and that usually doesn’t give you a good feeling … but he was still good enough to hold them off. …
“I think he’s got lots of trot, he’s just got to get there.”
Foxy Amee found the winner’s circle for the first time competing in a Gold series, scoring in 1:57.4 for trainer-driver Paul MacDonell.
The bay filly began her racing career competing in the Grassroots Series, but made the transition to the top-flight during the Gold Mid-Season Final, where she finished second to Gold two-year-old filly trotting leader Monalishi.
Starting from the outside as the No. 6 horse, MacDonell guided Foxy Amee to the front of the pack and never relinquished control, coming in with quarter splits of :28.1, :59.1 and 1:28.4 before just managing to hold off a hard-charging TH Monica (Green Manalishi S) by a neck at the wire.
“I wasn’t sure how it was going to play out, but looking at the horses at the gate when we left she had her nose right up there, so I felt like I had to get her in play and she responded to it,” said MacDonell of the winning trip. “I was happy with her effort.”
Foxy Amee was bred by Highland Thoroughbred Farm (Inglewood, Ont.) and is owned by Chris and Michael Storms (Picton, Ont.).
Race 4 saw You Got It Kemp score in 1:56.3 to remain undefeated in OSS Gold Series action, including winning the Gold Mid-Season Final.
Driver by Sylvain Filion settled You Got It Kemp into the pocket past the opening quarter (:28) and hung in there through the :57.2 half and 1:26.2 three-quarter pole before slipping out down the stretch and winning by three-quarters of a length.
“The two-hole trip is his cup of tea,” said Brady Legace, You Got It Kemp’s caretaker and co-owner with trainer Daniel Legace and Brooke Legace of Cambridge, Ont. and Suojalampi Stable Inc. of Delray Beach, Fla. “He loves to get out and shoot late. So, that’s what we like and that’s what he likes, as well.
You Got It Kemp was bred by Suojalampi Stable Inc. and Kemppi Stables Oy Inc., also of Delray Beach, Fla.
The final Gold division of Friday’s nine-race card was won by Medley Seelster for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Blake MacIntosh, in a time of 1:56.3.
There was no drama to be had on the trip as Jamieson sent his filly to the top of the pack from the outside Post 6 and led all the way with fractions of :28, :57.3 and 1:26.4 on route to a 1-1/2-length win.
“My filly is really professional,” said Jamieson of Medley Seelster. “She’s getting better with each and every start, she’s shown talent right from the get-go and tonight was no different.”
This was the second Gold Series win in Medley Seelster’s career, and third score overall. She’s owned by Glenn Dyke (Townsend, De.) and was bred by Seelster Farms Inc. (Lucan, Ont.).
In addition to the action on the track, Grand River Raceway fans were also treated to OSS 50th Anniversary celebrations that included hat giveaways, a historical display, kids’ activity books and more.
The Ontario Sires Stakes 50th Anniversary tour next makes its final stop at Hiawatha Horse Park Saturday evening.
Complete results from Friday’s program are available here, and replays can be viewed on the Grand River Raceway website.
FEATURED PHOTO: Galen Erso winning an OSS Gold Series race for two-year-old male trotters on Sept. 6, 2024 at Grand River Raceway (Tiffany Chantel Photography)
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