CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Young reinsman Doug McNair reached another milestone in his driving career on Monday night at Mohawk Racetrack, claiming a Gold Final victory with two-year-old pacing filly Tiz To Dream.
The youthful pair started from Post 2 in the $130,000 Gold Final and had clear sailing to the front when fan favourite Windsong Grand Ave made another early break on their inside. Tiz To Dream hustled out to a :26.2 opening quarter, at which point McNair applied the brakes and coasted along to a 1:57.2 half.
Facing some pressure from St Lads Trixie, the pacesetters rolled to a 1:26.2 three-quarters before laying down a smart finishing kick to secure the one length victory in 1:54. Striking Terror shadowed Tiz to Dream from the pocket and reached the wire second, in spite of a late break, while St Lads Trixie hung tough on the outside in third. Windsong Grand Ave delivered another impressive comeback, but could not crack the top three this week, settling for fourth.
Nineteen year old McNair engineered his first ever Gold Final triumph for his father Gregg McNair and Paul Kidd of Guelph. The partners acquired the daughter of Grinfromeartoear at the 2008 Forest City Sale for a mere $9,000. With Monday’s triumph the filly’s bank balance currently stands at $86,424.
Gregg McNair also trains Tiz To Dream, and started the filly in a June 22 qualifier at Mohawk Racetrack, where she was a steady third in 1:58.3. The talented youngster captured her first pari-mutuel start, pacing around Western Fair Raceway’s half-mile oval on June 30 in 2:00, then tackled the Robert Stewart Stake at Mohawk on July 6 where she was again a solid third in a 1:54.3 mile. In last week’s elimination, Tiz To Dream toiled up the outside from Post 9 to finish second, a length behind Ice Ice Baby in the 1:55 mile.
Doug McNair piloted Tiz To Dream in her qualifier and all four of her starts, aiding in what is shaping up to be an exceptional year for the Guelph resident. Through the first half of the season, he has already driven the winners of $1,325,979, more than his mounts earned in all of 2008. Unranked in the 2008 Ontario Sires Stakes driver’s standings, the young reinsman currently sits sixth, 79 points behind reigning champion Brad Forward.
Tiz To Dream and McNair will attempt to boost the reinsman’s point tally on Aug. 9 when the two-year-old pacing fillies return to Mohawk Racetrack for their second Gold Series appearance.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement continues at the Campbellville oval this week, as the two-year-old trotting colts battle in their first Gold Final on Thursday, July 23.
For complete results please go to: http://standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0720mohsn.dat.