The final Gold Series events of the Ontario Sires Stakes season for two-year-old trotters were contested Monday evening at
Righteous Resolve has been the dominant rookie filly, and it was more of the same for the ultra-talented John Bax trainee.
Paul MacDonell hustled her to the lead from Post 6 and together they sliced out splits of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:26.3 before cruising home in :28 to win by 3-1/2 lengths over Mass Hysteria in 1:54.3. Cardio Muscle was third in the $101,300 affair.
Sent off as the 1-9 favourite, the homebred daughter of Resolve-Motown Muscle improved her seasonal record to 7-1-0 from eight assignments. She’s banked over $420,000 to date for Bet Max Stables Inc and Benenati Inc.
Shiny New Penny added trotting hopples and had shoeing changes made coming into the $100,400 second division, and she showed up as an improved filly for trainer Jean Tourigny.
Louis-Philippe Roy got away fourth in the early going while Margarita Morning marched to the lead and took the field past the quarter pole in :29.2. Shiny New Penny marched up on the rim and took command in the backstretch. She scooted through middle splits of :58.2 and 1:27.3 before using a :28.4 closing panel to win by a length over Pretty Special in 1:56.2. Margarita Morning was third.
The daughter of Alarm Detector-Im Peekers won for the first time in 10 tries for owner Santo Vena, Nunzio Vena and Diane Ingham. The $50,200 payday lifted her earnings to $84,485.
Tuscan Prince pulled off an 8-1 upset in his $103,100 division for the tandem of driver Bob McClure and trainer Luc Blais.
The son of Kadabra-Tosca got away in the back-half of the field while Snowpiercer (:27.2) and DWs Point Man (:57.1 and 1:26.1) took turns on the lead. McClure picked up cover for Tuscan Prince on the way to the three-quarter pole, and a :27.3 closing quarter was enough for the gelding to win by a length over Ghostly Casper in 1:54.4. Snowpiercer tagged along to grab the show dough.
Determination of
Osceola went to the front and didn’t look back en route to a career-best score in his $103,100 division for Team McNair.
Doug McNair hustled the colt to the lead from Post 5 and together they powered through fractions of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:27.2 before kicking home in :27.4 to win by a half-length margin over Hasty Bid in 1:55.1. Oh Look Magic rounded out the Trifecta ticket.
Sent off as the 8-5 favourite, the Gregg McNair trainee won for the third time in seven starts this year. Gregg McNair shares ownership on the son of Muscle Mass-Armbro Exquisite with Paul Hawman and the youngster’s breeder, Willow Oak Ranch. The victory helped him push his earnings over $160,000.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results –