CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Freshman trotting colt Windsong Espoir floated around Mohawk Racetrack on Sunday evening to claim his sixth straight victory and etch his name into the Ontario Sires Stakes history books.
As the starting gate pulled away from the Gold Final field, Keith Oliver gunned Sergeant York out of the outside Post 9 and reached the opening quarter in a sharp :27.4. Sergeant York’s lead was short lived, however, as the three top-rated colts in the race where pounding up the outside toward the front end.
Pizzazzed was the first to clear and held the lead briefly before handing off to B Strike Three, who barely had an opportunity to enjoy the view before Windsong Espoir took control going by the :57.2 half. At the 1:27.2 three-quarters Windsong Espoir had established a two and one-quarter length margin, and by the time he hit the wire in an Ontario Sires Stakes record 1:55.4, the heavy favourite was four and three-quarter lengths ahead of his peers.
O U Gus closed hard to claim the second-place finisher’s share of the $130,000 Gold Final purse, and early leader Sergeant York shook loose in the stretch to get up for third.
Windsong Espoir’s 1:55.4 clocking lowered the former Ontario Sires Stakes record for two-year-old trotting colts on a seven-eighths mile track by one-fifth of a second. Ontario Sires Stakes star, and Canada’s 2006 Horse of the Year, Majestic Son had set the 1:56 record at Woodbine Racetrack in his 2005 freshman campaign.
Milton resident Steve Condren guided Windsong Espoir to his sixth straight commanding victory for trainer Brad Maxwell of Cambridge, and owners Peter Heffering and Hope Stable of Port Perry, Jerry Van Boekel of Bright and William Loyens of London, whose wife Paulette bred the colt. The son of Kadabra and Diamond Image has now earned $443,980 in seven starts for his delighted owners.
So dominant has Windsong Espoir been on the freshman trotting colt circuit — his shortest margin of victory is four and one-quarter lengths — that Mohawk Racetrack officials chose not to allow show wagering on Sunday’s Gold Final.
With his second Gold Series win, Windsong Espoir moved into a tie for sixth in the division standings with 100 points, which should be enough to earn one of ten spots in the season ending Super Final. As a result, the colt’s owners have the option of heading to Windsor Raceway for the last regular season event on Oct. 7 and 14, or giving the precocious youngster a brief break before the Nov. 10 Super Final.
Ontario Sires Stakes action continues at Mohawk Racetrack without a break, as the three-year-old trotting fillies are warming up for their $130,000 Gold Final battle on Monday, Oct. 1 at 7:20 pm.
For complete results please go to:
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rmohssu.html#N5