Galen Erso and Sprite Seelster were the respective winners of Wednesday’s (July 16) Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Leg 3 Gold Series events for sophomore trotters at Grand River Raceway. Both trotters were sired by Green Manalishi S.
Galen Erso (above) won the lone $140,000 final for colts and Sprite Seelster took the single $140,000 final for fillies.
The boys were up first in race 4. The event attracted a field of seven.
Lookatmegoamigo (Louis-Philippe Roy), Fast Snap (Chris Christoforou), Galen Erso (Doug McNair) and P L Spencer (Bob McClure) all pushed off the gate with authority and led the field, in that order, through fractions of :27 and :56.4. That’s when McNair put Galen Erso into gear with McClure following his lead with P L Spencer. Those two led in that order through the 1:24.3 three-quarters and then the battle was on in the stretch.
Ultimately, Galen Erso (7-1) prevailed by a neck over P L Spencer, the 3-5 favourite, in 1:54.1, with Lmc Wagon Wheel (Tyler Borth) swooping up to snatch third place away from Lookatmegoamigo. Fast Snap was fifth.
It was the fourth lifetime Gold win for Galen Erso, who was a three-time Gold champ in 2024, but finished fifth and ninth in his two previous Gold tries this year, respectively.
The win improved Galen Erso to 3-1-0 in 7 2025 starts and 6-3-1 in 14 career outings and upped his seasonal bankroll to $164,606 and his lifetime haul to $365,274.
The son of Green Manalishi S out of Wygant Princess was bred by Marcus Melander of New Jersey, is owned by Brad Grant of Milton, ON and is trained by Gregg McNair.
A field of eight contested the Gold event for sophomore fillies, which went as race 7 on the card.
Exquisite Taste (Roy), followed by Lil Sweet (Doug McNair), Sprite Seelster (Borth) and Roxie Hart (Travis Cullen) led the field to the :26.3 half. As the field passed the grandstand for the first time, Borth had Sprite Seelster out and rolling. He controlled the race from there through the :56 half and the 1:24.4 three-quarters and defeated Exquisite Taste by a half-length in 1:54. Stormont Beautiful (McClure) flew home to get third, followed by Roxie Hart and Lil Sweet.
Sprite Seelster (Tyler Borth) winning the $140,000 OSS Gold event for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Wednesday (July 16) at Grand River Raceway.
It was the second Gold triumph of the year for the daughter of Green Manalishi S out of Speak Of The Devil bred by Seelster Farms, owned by Elite Equine LLC of St. Thomas, ON and her driver, Borth, of Ingersoll, ON and trained by Katie McNeil.
The win improved Sprite Seelster to 3-2-2 in 7 starts this year and 4-3-2 in 14 lifetime outings. Her bankroll improved to $192,001 in 2025 and $240,348 lifetime.
Sprite Seelster was sold as a yearling for $40,000 at the 2023 London Classic Yearling Sale.
GRASSROOTS RESULTS
Recently, there were four different OSS Grassroots events at Woodbine Mohawk Park – 2- and 3-year-old trotting fillies on Monday (July 14) and 3-year-old pacing events for both fillies and colts on Tuesday (July 15).
The winners were:
WOODBINE MOHAWK PARK – JULY 14 – 2YOFT
- Green Moni Queen (Green Manalishi S—Essence Of Lindy) in a career-best 1:56.2 for breeder Lutfi Kolgjini, owner Landmark 18 Racing Stable of Lansdowne, ON, Stephen Downey of Quispamsis, NB, Dan Mogridge of Coldwater, ON and Mark Steacy of Lansdowne, ON, trainer Shawn Steacy and driver Bob McClure. Green Moni Queen was purchased for $70,000 at the 2024 Standardbred Horse Sales Company yearling auction in Harrisburg, PA.
- Timeless (Green Manalishi S—Alloveragain) in a career-best 1:56.4 for breeder/co-owner Glengate Farms of Erin, ON, co-owner Bax Stable of Campbellville, ON, trainer Matt Bax and driver Todd Ratchford.
- Elbows Up (Muscle Mass—Vegas Virgin) in a career-best 1:58.3 for breeders Hayley and James More of Kentucky, owners Doug Clark of Mississauga, ON, Mark Steacy of Lansdowne, ON, Cara Steacy of Lansdowne, ON and Guy Haskell of Guelph, ON, trainer Shawn Steacy and driver Bob McClure. Elbows Up was purchased for $30,000 at the 2024 Standardbred Horse Sales Company yearling auction in Harrisburg, PA.
WOODBINE MOHAWK PARK – JULY 14 – 3YOFT
- Oceanview Rumours (Green Manalishi S—Tyne Valley) in 1:55.2 for breeders/owners William Roloson of Belfast, PEI, Scott Roloson of Belfast, PEI, plus co-owner Joey Aylward of St. Louis, PEI, trainer Shane Arsenault and driver Bob McClure.
- Bright Green (Green Manalishi S—Shine Bright) in a career-best 1:54.3 for breeder Glengate Farms of Erin, ON, owners Ecurie Csl of Quebec, Louis-Philippe Roy Racing of Campbellville, ON, trainer Eric Nadeau and driver Louis-Philippe Roy. Bright Green was purchased for $65,000 at the 2023 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
- Foxy Amee (Muscle Mass—Highland Foxytrotr) in 1:53.4 for breeder Highland Thoroughbred Frm of Inglewood, ON, owners Chris and Michael Storms of Picton, ON, trainer Paul MacDonell and driver Doug McNair. Foxy Amee was purchased for $48,000 at the 2023 London Classic Yearling Sale.
WOODBINE MOHAWK PARK – JULY 15 – 3YOFP
- Windsun Charlotte (Betterthancheddar—Windsun Chanel) in 1:50.4 for breeder Windsun Farm Inc. of Uxbridge, ON, owners 2156604 Alberta Inc. of Guelph, ON, Robert Frank of Waterloo, ON, Doug Dunbar of Woodstock, ON and Larry Delellis of London, ON, trainer Garry Merner and driver James MacDonald.
- All My Wishes (McWicked—Regal Wish) in a career-best 1:50.4 for breeder Winbak Farm, owner Louise Guillemette of Trois-Rivieres, QC, trainer Chantal Mitchell and driver Travis Cullen. All My Wishes was a $19,000 purchase at the 2023 Standardbred Horse Sales Company yearling auction in Harrisburg, PA.
- Macapelo Seelster (Big Jim—Macapelo Rose) in a career-best 1:50.2 for breeder Seelster Farms, owner Erin Brickman of Sebringville, ON, trainer Peter Brickman and driver Tyler Borth. Macapelo Seelster was a $25,000 purchase at the 2023 London Classic Yearling Sale.
WOODBINE MOHAWK PARK – JULY 15 – 3YOCP
- Out Of Ice (Hes Watching—Warrawee Star) in 1:49.4 for owners/breeder Carl Jamieson of Puslinch, ON, George Harrison of England and the estate of Brian Paquet of Quebec, co-owner (only) 1140545 Ontario Ltd. of Guelph, ON, trainer Carl Jamieson and driver Jody Jamieson.
- Fifth And Five (Bettors Delight—Filou Fly Fast) in a career-best 1:49.2 for breeders Darryl Kaplan of Toronto, Roy Sproxton of Brampton, ON and Harbhajan Singh Dhillon of Brampton, ON, owners Carl Jamieson of Puslinch, ON, 1140545 Ontario Ltd. of Guelph, ON and Trevor Edwards of Kirkton, ON, trainer Carl Jamieson and driver Jody Jamieson. Fifth And Five was a $32,000 purchase at the 2023 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.