The 2-year-old Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) season is officially underway and in Leg 1 of the Gold Series the two $100,000 divisions for rookie pacing colts were won by Gogo Gadget and TH Benedict.
In race 2, 1-2 favourite Gogo Gadget (above, Jonathan Drury) set a 1:52.2 lifetime best while defeating Bulldog Xpress (James MacDonald) by 2 ½ lengths.
Wheels Up (Mark MacDonald) led the field through the opening two fractions of :27.1 and :55.3 before making a break just as Gogo Gadget took command and hit the three-quarter pole in 1:23.2 before coming home in :29 to seal the victory.
Calmbeforestorm (JR Plante), Th Theo (Doug McNair) and Dagger One (Louis-Philippe Roy) grabbed the final cheques, respectively.
Gogo Gadget paid $3.10.
The son of Betting Line out of JK Getupngo is now perfect through two lifetime starts and has earning of $60,000 for owner Tamara Vandewiel of Arthur, ON and breeder Jessica Kulcher, Guelph, ON.
Gogo Gadget won his career pari-mutuel debut impressively in 1:52.3 in an overnight on June 26 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
In race 8, second choice TH Benedict (James MacDonald) made his pari-mutuel debut a golden one, swooping wide in the lane and closing from fourth to win the second division in 1:52.2 by three-quarters of a length over Stampede (Jody Jamieson). The Swooper (McNair), Meetmeonthebeach (Roy) and Kerplunk (Trevor Henry) grabbed the other cheques in finish order.
TH Benedict (James MacDonald) winning the second Gold Leg 1 division for rookie pacing colts.
Sent off at 9-5, TH Benedict paid $5.80.
TH Benedict, a son of Cattlewash out of Pasta Blue Chip, is trained by Tony O’Sullivan for owners Clay Horner of Toronto, Pryde Stables Inc. of North York, ON and James Walker of Port Perry, ON.
The pacer, a $145,000 yearling purchase at the 2025 Standardbred Horse Sales Company auction in Harrisburg, PA, was bred by Tara Hills Stud of Port Perry and Glenn Bechtel of Kingston, ON.