Big time performances was the theme of the night in Saturday’s SBOA Stakes finals at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
All four SBOA Stakes finals for Ontario-sired three-year-olds were held under cool and rainy conditions at the Campbellville, Ont. oval.
A top Pepsi North America Cup eligible, Funtime Bayama ($2.80) made a statement with a career-best 1:49.4 score in the $127,000 SBOA Colt Pace.
Funtime Bayama and driver Sylvain Filion rushed to the lead from fourth in the second quarter under a hot a battle, hitting the half in :53.4. After catching a :29.2 breather, the son of Hes Watching sprinted home and away from rivals to win in 1:49.4. Unrivaled Hanover (Jonathan Drury) was second, beat 3-1/4 lengths. Storm Shadow (Bob McClure) and Do Better (James MacDonald) completed the top four.
“At the half, we were rolling pretty good,” said Filion. “When I saw the timer, I said, 'Oh, we were rolling tonight.' That's why down the lane I just kept his attention a bit and he just took off."
Funtime Bayama is owned Bayama Farms and trained by Richard Moreau. He’s now two-for-two to start 2024 and has six wins from nine career starts, earning $322,270.
The Cup contender is ranked seventh at pre-season odds of 13-1 in TROT Magazine's Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book.
Murray Brethour-trained Griff ($19) showed his determination to win the $124,000 SBOA Colt Trot in a new lifetime mark of 1:53.3.
Driven by James MacDonald, Griff showed gate speed to launch out and land in the two-hole behind Convoy Hall (Sylvain Filion). Those two trotters raced one-two throughout, posting clips of :26.4, :56.1 and 1:25. After gapping the leader a bit in the turn, Griff dug in and mowed down Convoy Hall to win by half a length in 1:53.3. Favourite Willowtime (Bob McClure) was third while Elegant Resolve (Doug McNair) was fourth.
“He's great gaited and I said if we're going for money, we've got to give him a shot,” said MacDonald. “He got out of there good on the right foot and the rest was just lucky. He was struggling a bit in the last turn and when we straightened up, he dug right back in. He showed some guts. Good effort from him, for sure."
A gelded son of Muscle Mass, Griff was making his season debut on Saturday and has now won four of eight starts and earned $285,200 for owners Jeff & Lori Thomson, Brethour and Kyle Northover.
Its A Love Thing ($5.60) got up the inside late to win the $141,500 SBOA Filly Pace over her O'Brien Award-winning stablemate Pass Line in a career-best 1:49.4 for driver James MacDonald and trainer Dave Menary.
Pass Line (Louis-Philippe Roy), who was the slight favourite over the winner, followed several movers in the second quarter up to the lead, reaching the half in :54.4. Its A Love Thing sat buried in the two-hole swinging for home and loaded with pace. Its A Love Thing found the inside lane late and got up to edge her stablemate by a length in 1:49.4, pacing a :26.1 final quarter. Sorcha Seelster (Bob McClure) finished third while Odds On Platinum (Sylvain Filion) was fourth.
“I knew if I could get some daylight somewhere she was probably going to give me a good run,” said MacDonald. “She's had a lot of bad trips in her life and overcame pretty much all of them. When she gets a good one, she makes no mistakes."
A daughter of Bettors Delight, Its A Love Thing was a hard-closing second in her elimination. She now has seven wins from 14 starts and more than $600,000 earned for owners Eric Good, Thomas Biederman, Josh Green and Rich Lombardo Racing.
Susie Kerwood trainee R Liza ($7.50) was able to edge out O'Brien Award winner Willys Home Run in the $138,400 SBOA Filly Trot with a 1:53.1 career-best performance in rein to Jody Jamieson.
Willys Home Run (James MacDonald), the heavy favourite, rocketed out to set fractions of :26.3, :56.1 and 1:25. R Liza and Jamieson looped from third to second going to three-quarters, tucked in behind the leader and popped up to muscle by for a head victory in 1:53.1. P L Rainbow Dash (Bob McClure) finished third while Sue Anne (Louis-Philippe Roy) was fourth.
“This mare was so good last week,” said Jamieson. “I stayed in quite a long time last week and when I did get out, she wanted out, she was like a caged animal and just trotted so hard. She did the same thing today and she beat a great champion, not by much, but we beat her, that's all that matters"
A daughter of Muscle Mass, R Liza is now two-for-two to start her season and has a career record of five wins from 10 starts and close to $200,000 earned for owners M And L of Delaware and Alabama Harness Associates.
Prior to the stakes action, O'Brien Award winner Legendary Hanover ($2.30) made his sophomore debut a winning one in a $23,000 conditoned pace. With a first-over rush from mid-pack down the backstretch on the way to the :55.2 half-mile mark, the Tony Beaton trainee took over command and drew off to score by 2-1/4 lengths in a career-best 1:49.4 as the 1-9 popular pick in rein to James MacDonald. The son of Huntsville is owned by Eric Good, West Wins Stable and Mark Dumain. Nazare (Louis-Philippe Roy) and Kopi Luwak (Doug McNair) completed the top three finish order.
Legendary Hanover's fellow North America Cup eligible stablemate Nijinsky ($2.60) also won his sophomore debut to kick off the action-packed Saturday card in a $19,000 conditioned pace, scoring in a new mark of 1:51 by 3-1/4 lengths. He swept from third to first after the opening panel and never looked back, with Warraweeforlaura (Tyler Borth) and Lous World (Jody Jamieson) following in second and third, respectively. The Bettors Delight colt is owned by West Wins Stable, John Fielding and Mark Dumain.
For more on Cup prospects Legendary Hanover and Nijinsky, who rank No. 2 and 23, respectively, in TROT Magazine's Spring Book, click here.
After taking his show on the road and finishing third in an Invitational at Miami Valley Raceway last weekend, Taurasi ($3.70) returned to the Mohawk Preferred ranks he has dominated all year.
Trained by Richard Moreau and driven by Doug McNair, the five-year-old Racing Hill gelding kept his perfect Preferred record in tact with a 1:51.2 score in Saturday's $36,000 edition.
Linedrive Hanover (James MacDonald), the older half brother to the aforementioned Legendary Hanover, fronted the field that was scratched down to six through a :27.1 opening quarter before 4-5 favourite Taurasi swept up from third and took over command. He hit the half in :57 and three-quarters in 1:25.3 en route to the victory with a :25.4 kicker. Linedrive Hanover held on for second, three-quarters of a length behind the winner, while Poseidon Seelster (Bob McClure) rallied off the cover of first-over Saulsbrook Victor (Brett MacDonald) to beat that rival for the show dough.
Taurasi, who is now eight-for-eight in his Mohawk races this year, has won half of his 40 career starts while banking $562,759 for owners Brad Grant and Alagna Racing.
Live harness racing resumes Monday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Post time is 7:10 p.m.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Woodbine & Standardbred Canada; Photo, clockwise from top left, of Funtime Bayama, Griff, R Liza and Its A Love Thing)