MILTON, October 15, 2022 – A showdown of stablemates in the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Super Final for three-year-old pacing fillies saw the favourite bested by another for the first time.
In the fifth Super Final race on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park, Silver Label used a strong final quarter to pick surge to victory.
The top three picks in the race — Silver Label, Velvet Stinger and favourite Prohibition Legal — are homebred stablemates of George Millar, of Stouffville, Ont.
They’re all trained by Nick Gallucci, also of Stouffville. Doug McNair of Guelph, Ont. drove the Super Final-winning horse.
While Silver Label and Prohibition Legal finished one-two, Velvet Stinger was seventh.
Prohibition Legal piloted by James MacDonald was in the lead by the 26.3-second one-quarter mark, while Silver Label was steered into the pocket as they continued to the half in 54.4.
“The speed was on the outside of it, so I figured I’d try to take advantage and try to grab a hold of the front as early as I could,” said McNair. “I figured James would be on the move and (Prohibition Legal) is a nice filly to follow, so she got us to the promised land.”
Silver Label and Balance, who finished in fourth, jockeyed for pocket positioning for much of the race’s third quarter.
Prohibition Legal led at the 1:23.1 third-quarter pole, appearing poised to win her second straight Super Final. Then, early in the home stretch, McNair angled his filly and overtook her stablemate.
Silver Label went on to a single-length victory in a time of 1:50.2, a new lifetime mark.
“Legal just didn’t really find her home the way I was thinking. But all the credit goes to Silver Label and Doug,” said Nick Gallucci the trainer of the 1-2 finishers.
The daughter of Bettors Delight claimed the large part of the $225,000 purse, paying $8.10 in the process.
The Super Final score puts Silver Label’s lifetime winnings over $770,000.
Six of those wins, and more than $430,000 of that prize money, has come in 12 races this season.
Silver Label compiled a record of 3-1-0 in six OSS starts this year.
Millar was asked after the Super Final if there was one of the horses he preferred over the others.
“You know what, they’re all my favourite. I mean, I love them all,” said Millar.
Both the victorious Silver Label and her runner-up stablemate are expected to be in the field in next week at Woodbine Mohawk Park for Breeders Crown eliminations.
Full results from October 15 at Woodbine Mohawk Park
Race replays can be viewed on the Woodbine Mohawk Park YouTube page