Totally Tyler found the winning path in the $350,000 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Super Final for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday night (Oct. 10) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The group of 10 rookies put on a standout show for what seemed to be nearly every second of a compelling mile.
Keeping tabs on the early going was racing drama at its best, as several hopefuls looked to find their preferred spot the moment the starter pulled away.
Meetmeonthebeach, leaving from post nine, eventually found the front, followed by No More Exs, Yes I Am Hanover and Kerplunk, with the former calling the shots, albeit briefly, through an opening quarter in :26, as Jody Jamieson, in the race bike of 3-5 choice Totally Tyler, settled into fifth.
By the time the half was reached in :55, Kerplunk was on the front end, followed by Yes I Am Hanover, Meetmeonthebeach, and Th Theo, who was unable to find a seat and carried on in the outside flow. Totally Tyler was locked in along the rail in sixth, as the field made its way to the three-quarters pole, where he would then reside in ninth.
Kerplunk was still leading the way after that station was reached in 1:23.4, with a host of rivals looking to reel in the 5-2 second choice straightening for the stretch drive.
While who would emerge on top was still very much up for grabs, it appeared that Totally Tyler, a homebred for Brad Grant, might not be one of the candidates.
Some Jamieson magic, coupled with torrid late-race pace, paid off with a thrilling triumph in 1:51.2. Th Benedict was second, a half-length ahead of Yes I Am Hanover, also owned by Grant. Th Theo, despite the rough trip, finished fourth.
“Everybody is out there trying to win, and I got myself in a bad spot there into the first turn and it really didn’t work out,” said Jamieson. “At the head of the lane, I literally said to myself, ‘Just zag instead of zig.’ I looked at the zig and went zag, and this horse just did the rest.”
Despite the circumstances, Jamieson felt confident Totally Tyler would get to the wire on time.
“I really was,” he said. “I just needed to get clear. I didn’t think anybody was live on the inside. I was pumped when we got halfway down the stretch and I saw that nobody was coming on the inside.”
Grant breathed a sigh of relief once Totally Tyler found daylight.
“I was getting worried down the lane, but when Jody shook him loose [we were] lucky to get there and glad we got it done,” Grant said.
It was the second straight winner’s circle trip for the son of Bulldog Hanover – who Jamieson drove to numerous successes – out of the A Rocknroll Dance mare Band Stand.
Trained by Scott McEneny, the colt broke his maiden in record fashion on Oct. 3 at the Milton oval when he won a $100,000 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold division in 1:49, setting a new OSS stakes record for rookie pacing colts and geldings.
“We always believed he was going to be good,” said Grant. “A lot of people say it’s nice to win the big ones, but when you breed them, raise them and own them both – mare and the stallion – it is special.”
Totally Tyler, who is now 2-2-1 from 10 starts and has amassed over $300,000 in purse earnings, will head to the Breeders Crown, at Scioto Downs, for his next start.
He paid $3.50 for Saturday’s win.
Longtime mayor of Milton, Gord Krantz, who is running for re-election, made the trophy presentation.