Ontario-sired three-year-olds have their first major stakes engagement of the 2023 campaign this weekend with the $542,600 SBOA Stakes fiinals on Saturday, May 20 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The four divisions for males and females of both gaits are carded as races four through seven. Here's a look at the top three morning-line choices in each final, starting in reverse order with the glamour boys and Stockade Seelster’s highly anticipated seasonal debut.
$136,800 Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace (Race 7)
Stockade Seelster (sired by State Treasurer) – 2-1
The dual Dan Patch and O’Brien Award winner makes his anticipated season debut off three impressive qualifiers, the most recent a 7-3/4-length romp at Mohawk on May 12. He hit the board in 10 of 11 starts as a rookie winning the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final and Metro Pace. Jody Jamieson will drive from post nine.
“Everything is good with no problems so far. We are very happy and we are on track,” said trainer Ian Moore. “It’s a shame that he didn’t get [a race] last week, but he’s ready to go, he’s getting tired of training. Nine-hole is tougher, but it is better than the 11-hole.”
Moment Is Here (sired by All Bets Off) – 9-2
He established a new lifetime mark in his last start, pacing a mile in 1:50.2 after taking the lead from the quarter pole on. The conditioned win was his third lifetime. James MacDonald is driving the Bob McIntosh trainee, who hit the board in three of five Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) starts last season.
Write Me A Rose (sired by Sportswriter) - 5-1
He’s made three starts this season in the conditioned ranks at Mohawk and has won his last two. He started strong as a two-year-old with a pair of OSS Gold wins right out of the gate and earned close to $150,000 in the OSS program last year. Kyle Fellows trains with Sylvain Filion driving.
$144,800 Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot (Race 6)
Osceola (sired by Muscle Mass) - 5-2
This was the lone division where eliminations were required and Team McNair sends this elimination winner out from the post three. The talented colt had three wins at the Gold level and earned more than $175,000 during his freshman season.
Tuscan Prince (sired by Kadabra) – 3-1
The winner of the other SBOA elimination is trained by Luc Blais. Last year, he started off with a pair of Grassroots wins, picked up a second in his William Wellwood elimination and won a Gold division in the final leg of the year. Louis-Philippe Roy drives from post six.
Hasty Bid (sired by My MVP) - 7-2
Another gelding who moved forward as two-year-old, he was a winner at the Grassroots level early on and was a runner-up in his final start in a Gold division on Oct. 3. He was a close second to Osecola in his SBOA Stakes elimination, powering home in :26.2 for trainer Paige Austin. James MacDonald drives from post five.
$129,500 Three-Year-Old Filly Pace (Race 5)
Savethelastdance (sired by Bettors Delight) - 5-2
The Millar Farms homebred is a full sister to O’Brien Award winner Silver Label. She’ll attempt to follow in her sibling's footsteps by winning the SBOA Stakes to kickstart her three-year-old campaign. James MacDonald drives for trainer Nick Gallucci from post five.
“I’m happy with how Savethelastdance has comeback this year,” said Gallucci. “She looked comfortable in her first start of the year [winning a conditioned race at Mohawk in 1:51.4 on May 5] and hopefully that leads to a good race in the final on Saturday.”
Lyonsbettorday (sired by Bettors Delight) - 3-1
Lyons Bettorday earned $148,328 during a solid freshman campaign and the Anthony Beaton trainee has a trio of runner-up finishes through three starts this year. She hit the board in four of her six OSS starts last season, including a Gold win. Louis-Philippe Roy is driving from post three.
Cheesy Smile (sired by Betterthancheddar) - 4-1
The 2022 Super Final winner earned more than $290,000 in the OSS during a lucrative freshman campaign. The O'Brien Award runner-up has one 2023 start under her belt in the conditioned ranks at Mohawk. Bob McClure will sit behind the John Pentland trainee and leave from post seven.
$131,500 Three-Year-Old Filly Trot (Race 4)
HP Extra Ice (sired by Alarm Detector) - 3-1
Trained by Benoit Baillargeon, this filly didn’t make a pari-mutuel start as a two-year-old, but already has three wins in 2023, including the $43,900 Ontario Sired Spring Series final. She was named the top choice despite drawing the outside post 10. James MacDonald is in the racebike.
Climb The Pole (sired by Kadabra) - 7-2
Lightly raced as a two-year-old, Climb The Pole comes into the final riding a three-race win streak, the most recent coming in an SBOA Prep class at Mohawk where she beat HP Extra Ice by a length. Trained by Amanda Fine, the filly will leave from post nine with Jody Jamieson in the bike.
Stonebridge Bravo (sired by Muscle Mass) - 4-1
Dagfin Henriksen has taken over training duties this year for this filly, who picked up a conditioned win at Mohawk in her seasonal debut on May 4. She was a runner-up at the OSS Gold level in 2022. Bob McClure is in the bike leaving from post eight.
To view the complete entries for Saturday's harness racing card, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Ontario Racing)