Doug McNair piloted A Clean Deal up the inside in deep stretch and out-gunned a four-horse calvary charge to the wire to win the lone $140,000 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold event for 2-year-old filly pacers on Thursday (July 17) at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 1:53.1.
The victory kept the daughter of Cattlewash—Ideal Talker undefeated through three lifetime starts and also perfect in OSS action. In the first OSS Gold for 2-year-old pacing fillies, A Clean Deal won in a career-best 1:50.4 on July 4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The most recent Gold was an action-packed seven-horse affair that essentially became a field of six when 3-2 favourite Shes A Bulldog (Yannick Gingras) made a break in the first turn. A Clean Deal took advantage and led the field to the :27 quarter before relinquishing the lead to Jay (Bob McClure) before the :56.2 half. When TH Check Me Out (Tyler Borth) powered toward the front, McNair followed and then got locked in on the rail in third. TH Check Me Out took the field to the 1:23.4 three-quarters with Daya (Jody Jamieson) in second and A Clean Deal third. In the stretch the surge was on and A Clean Deal (2-1) squeaked through on the inside to win by a half-length.
“Obviously, it was a bit of a chess match,” McNair told Woodbine broadcaster John Rallis in the winner’s circle. “And Yannick [Gingras] making a break [with Shes A Bulldog] early changed things quite a bit. Bob [McClure driving Jay] made a break leaving the gate as well. So, it was kind of a calvary charge in the first turn. Then, down the backside, Tyler [Borth] coming up [with TH Check Me Out], I had no choice but to come back around Bob. And I didn’t mind following Tyler.
“In the last turn, I didn’t know how much pace [A Clean Deal] had. I left with her and removed her. Also, it’s a cold night out here. It’s cold and windy, it’s not hot like it’s been for the last month or so. So, it was a pretty big effort. I never even got the plugs out. I never had time to get them out. When she got clear track, she paced pretty hard to wire.”
A Clean Deal, bred by Winbak Farm and trained by Rob Fellows, has now earned $148,000 for owners Yolanda Fellows of Rockwood, ON, Blair Corbeil of Leduc, AB, Windermere Stable LLC of New York, NY and James Ross of Wingham, ON. A Clean Deal was purchased for $20,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
GRASSROOTS RESULTS
On Thursday’s card at Woodbine Mohawk Park there were also four OSS Grassroots divisions for 3-year-old trotting colts.
The winners were:
- Nickel And Dime (Resolve—Parkhill Nocredit) in a career-best 1:55 for breeders Bax Stable of Campbellville, ON and Marhsall Bax of Hamilton, ON, owners Frank Lamacchia of St. George, ON, Tony Miceli of Mississauga, ON, Deanmar Sons Stable of Mississauga, ON and Gennarino Lamaccia of St. George, ON, trainer MarkEtsell and driver Travis Henry.
- Armstead Fireball (Muscle Mass—Magical Anna) in a career-best 1:55.1 for breeder James Armitage of Dunrobin, ON, owner Ottawavalleyracingstable3 of Dunrobin, ON, trainer Chantal Mitchell and driver Louis-Philippe Roy.
- First Class Rule (Muscle Mass—Ruling Class) in a career-best 1:55.4 for breeder/co-owner Glengate Farm of Erin,ON, owners Bax Stable of Campbellville,ON, Glengate Farms of Erin, ON, Gaelic Stable of Sharon, ON and Ron Van Noort of Stouffville, ON, trainer Matt Bax and driver Todd Ratchford.
- Getthegreen (Green Manalishi S—Sumthintotalkabout) in 1:56.1 for breeder Jesse Gebhardt of Hanover, ON, owners Just In Time Stable of Mississauga, ON, R A W Equine Inc. of Burlington, ON and Ben Mudry of Toronto, trainer Roger Mayotte and driver James MacDonald. Getthegreen was purchased for $70,000 at the 2023 London Classic Yearling Sale.