Every age, sex, gait category of the 2022 Ontario Sires Stakes season is officially underway, with a pair of divisions kicking off the Gold campaign for rooking pacing colts July 9 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
In the first $101,300 division, Stockade Seelster was victorious in his pari-mutuel debut.
Leaving from rail position Jody Jamieson settled the son of State Treasurer into fourth early on behind a 27.1 first quarter set by odds-on favourite Moment Is Here.
Jameison sent the Dr. Ian Moore trainee to the front as the field entered the backstretch and took the lead by the halfway marker. Moment Is Here tried another move down the stretch, but Stockade Seelster proved the best, winning by a length in a stout time of 1:51.3.
“When I got up the backside, he got to the front pretty easy,” said Jamieson, “Half in 56 and he did the rest himself, he’s just a nice colt.”
It was Jamieson’s first time sitting behind Stockade Seelster, but he saw up close what he could do in his pair of qualifiers that he won by two lengths each.
“I was in both qualifiers with him and saw how dominant he was, and seen how much speed he had,” said Jamieson. “I knew he had talent, but you’re never sure how they’re going to perform the first time, but Doc told me he was ready to go, and he wasn’t lying.”
The win netted owners Sally Macdonald (Souris, P.E.I), and Paul Macdonald (Toronto, Ont.) $50,650.
Moment Is Here finished a game second, closing in 26.3. Trevor Henry drove the All Bets Off son for Hall of Fame Trainer Bob McIntosh. McIntosh co-owns the colt with Al McIntosh Holdings Inc, (Leamington, Ont.), Frank Baldachino (Harvey Cedars, NJ), and Mardon Stables (Loretto, Ont.).
Gregg McNair trainee Sounds Good was third, with McNair’s son Doug in the race bike. Michael, and Sam Sergi of Canton, NY own the Bettors Delight colt.
Write Me a Rose won the second $102,200 division, giving trainer Rob Fellows his second Gold division win in 2022.
The Sportswriter colt was sent off as the favourite in the field of eight, and leaving from post four found himself off the pace behind a slow first half of 57.3 in sixth position.
“When you watched the race, and saw the cheap half you thought, oh no now we’re in a bad spot,” said Fellows.
But Sylvain Filion was able to maneouovre his charge into fourth as the field entered the stretch, and he powered home in 26.1 to fend off late closing Better Be Bold.
“Every time all these babies go behind the gate, they surprise me every year with their speed,” said Fellows. “So far he’s been a nice colt, so let’s just hope he can stay healthy, and have a good summer, and we can put him away safe and healthy in October.”
The Windermere Stable Llc homebred now has two wins from two starts in his rookie campaign.
Better Be Bold posted a final fraction of 26.0 to finish second by a half-length, with Louis-Philippe Roy driving. Shawn Steacy trains the Betterthancheddar colt for owners Mark Steacy (Lansdowne, Ont.) David Reid (Sydenham, Ont.), and Landmark 15 Racing Stable (Lansdowne, Ont.). Rod Boyd trainee Nightime Dancer was third with Johnathan Drury in the race bike.