AUGUST 11, 2016 – Freshman pacers were in the harness racing spotlight at Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday evening as the Campbellville oval hosted two $105,000 Ontario Sire Stakes Gold divisions for the colts and four $18,000 Ontario Sire Stakes Grassroots divisions for the fillies.
In the Gold Series battles, Sports Column and Streakavana picked up their second Ontario Sires Stakes trophies and moved to the top of the division standings.
Sports Column led off with a commanding four length victory in the first $105,000 split. The Sportswriter son and driver Christoforou took control of the race heading by the three-quarter pole and pulled away from the field in spite of a steering issue that saw the colt leaning heavily on the inside line. Yogi Bayama and Manceiver finished four lengths behind the fan favourite in second and third.
"There's something small bothering him that we've got to get fixed up," noted trainer Blake MacIntosh. "We've got a month to the Champlain, so he'll have an easy week this week and he'll go up to Dr. Ruch's Monday or Tuesday next week, and hopefully he can figure him out."
MacIntosh selected Sports Column out of the 2015 Lexington-Selected Yearling Sale, offering up $20,000 for the son of Sportswriter and Timeless Artist, and he opted not to pay the colt into the Metro Pace or the Nassagaweya Stake. The colt's next start will come in the Sept. 10 Champlain Stakes at Mohawk and then he will finish up the Ontario Sires Stakes season with Gold Legs at Grand River Raceway on Sept. 19 and Mohawk on Oct. 1, and the season ending Super Final at Mohawk on Oct. 15.
"In one way I'm happy that we didn't pay him into the Metro, because now I've got a month to try and get him right and have him right for the Super Final and the Champlain and his last two Golds," said MacIntosh. "Have him ready for that, then put him away, and hopefully we've got a nice three-year-old for next year."
The Cambridge resident conditions Sports Column for his partners Hutt Racing Stable of Paoli, PA and Daniel Plouffe of Bromont, QC. Through six starts the colt has four wins, including two in Gold Series action and his elimination and the final of the Battle of Waterloo, and two seconds for earnings of $222,000.
Sports Column
In the second division driver Sylvain Filion fired fan favourite Streakavana away from Post 9 and settled the Big Jim son on the rail in fourth as Calvin K rolled out to a :27.3 opening quarter. Opting not to sit and watch Calvin K do all the work, Filion sent Streakavana to the front before the :56.1 half and the gelding led the field to a 1:25.2 three-quarters and then sailed down the stretch to a 1:53.1 victory. Calvin K finished one length back in second, just ahead of Machin A Trick.
Filion crafted the win, Streakavana's third straight, for trainer Scott McEneny of Waterdown and owners Brad Grant and Teresa Davidson of Milton, ON. In four starts the pacer has posted three wins and one second for earnings of $117,500. With two Gold Series wins he sits second in the division standings with 100 points, while Sports Column holds down top spot with 125 points.
Streakavana
Both Christoforou and Filion also scored wins in the pacing filly Grassroots divisions. Christoforou kicked things off in the first race, guiding White Dancer to a come-from-behind effort that saw her sprint home in :27.3 to snatch a nose victory away from pacesetter Dudesalady. Fan favourite Treasures Pearl was one-half length back in third in the 1:55.4 mile.
"She's been plagued with small issues this season," said Campbellville resident Christoforou. "Dustin Jones gets all the credit for her performance tonight, he had her prepared to benefit off a decent trip, and being back on a seven day rotation helped as well."
Waterdown resident Jones conditions White Dancer for owner-breeder Emerald Highlands Farm of Mount Vernon, OH. The grey daughter of Big Jim missed her July 25 Battle of the Belles elimination due to sickness, but returned to action in an overnight event at Mohawk on Aug. 4, finishing seventh and setting herself up for Thursday's victory.
White Dancer
Filion got his Grassroots win in the second division with P L Kahluaa, who bounced back from a bout with sickness to post her first lifetime victory. Like Christoforou did in the first division, Milton resident Filion sent the fan favourite up the outer lane and used her sharp last quarter speed to reel in the front runners and post a 1:54.2 victory. Odysseus finished one and one-quarter lengths back in second and Sports Beauty was six and three-quarter lengths back in third.
Richard Moreau of Puslinch took over training duties on P L Kahluaa following her first two Grassroots starts. The Sportswriter miss was second in the July 18 season opener at Mohawk and fifth in the July 17 event at Clinton Raceway. Numbered company 9303 3868 Quebec Inc. of Blainville, QC owns P L Kahluaa, who was a $6,000 purchase out of last fall's Lexington-Selected Yearling Sale.
P L Kahluaa
Mohawk fans were treated to another close finish in the third division as Daenerys Hanover powered up the outer lane and down the stretch to a 1:55.2 victory. Fan favourite Sports Leader settled for second by a neck and Todays Sports completed the top three.
Making her debut in the Ontario Sires Stakes program, Daenerys Hanover was piloted to the win by Guelph resident Paul MacDonell for trainer Sean Mehlenbacher of Hamilton and owner John Mehlenbacher of Burlington, ON. In two starts the Camluck daughter, a $12,000 purchase at the 2015 Harrisburg Yearling Sale, has posted one win and one third for earnings of $10,680.
Daenerys Hanover
The last Grassroots trophy went home with fan favourite Shewearsthepants, who got away from the field around the final turn and hit the wire a five and three-quarter length winner in 1:55.1. Snappy Dresser and Fashion Writer finished second and third.
"She's been a little warm, so they rigged her up a little different tonight and it helped," said driver Doug McNair of Guelph. "She has a big motor in her if you can use it at the right time."
McNair's father Gregg conditions Shewearsthepants for owner-breeder Anatolia Farm LLC of New Holland, PA. The win was the filly's first in Grassroots action and boosted her record to two wins and two thirds in five starts for earnings of $20,500.
Shewearsthepants
The freshman pacing fillies will be back at Mohawk on Aug. 22 for their fourth Grassroots event, while their Gold Series peers arrive at the Campbellville oval on Friday evening (Aug. 12) for a pair of $105,000 divisions. The freshman pacing fillies will be joined by the two-year-old trotting colts, who will line up in three Gold Series divisions. Post time for Friday's program is 7:30 pm.
Ontario Racing