On Friday evening (July 15), the two-year-old pacing colts made their second Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots start at Mohawk Racetrack and Silverinyourpocket made the most of his second tour around the Campbellville oval.
Starting from post three in the second $18,000 Grassroots division, driver Sylvain Filion of Milton sent Silverinyourpocket to the front. Through fractions of :28, :56 and 1:25, the fan favourites never faced a challenge, cruising down the stretch to a one and one-quarter length victory in 1:53.3. Aston Hill Dave and Kentucky Nick followed Silverinyourpocket into second and third.
“I look forward to the next couple starts, because he showed lots of potential today,” said trainer Richard Moreau, who took over training duties from owner David Ratchford in early July.
North Sydney, N.S. resident Ratchford qualified Silverinyourpocket twice over Northside Downs in June and then sent the Badlands Hanover colt to Moreau in time for the July 7 Grassroots opener. The colt finished a hard-closing third from post eight in the season opener and impressed Mohawk fans enough to earn favourite status on Friday.
“They deal with the horse back home in the Maritimes, and once they think they work well or they’re ready, they come my way, which is perfect,” said Moreau, who also trains $504,072 winner Ms Mac N Cheese for Ratchford.
“I talked to Sylvain, and he said he’s still green, but he likes him, no problems. I think he made me look good,” added the Puslinch-based trainer.
Silverinyourpocket was a $19,000 purchase out of the Forest City Yearling Sale last October and is the second foal from $195,252 winner Fillys Victory. With one win and one third, the colt currently sits atop the Grassroots standings with 62 points.
The third foal from regally-bred L A Confidential captured the first Grassroots division on Friday. Test Ride, a Mach Three son out of the full-sister to $1.9 million winner Thinking Out Loud, hit the wire one-half length ahead of Mach Déjà Vu and Tigers Way to earn his first victory.
Guelph resident Paul MacDonell piloted Test Ride to the 1:55.4 win for trainer Bob McIntosh of Windsor and his partners Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. of Leamington and C S X Stables of Liberty Center, Ohio. The gelding was sixth in the Grassroots season opener, giving him a total of 53 points and a share of second spot in the standings along with the third Grassroots division winner, All It Takes.
Starting from post five, All It Takes left the gate strongly and driver Doug McNair had the gelding on the lead before the :56.3 half. All It Takes led the field to a 1:25.4 three-quarters and had enough in the tank to hold off a late charge from Filion and Moreau trainee One Source. Tremendous Play rounded out the top three in the 1:55.1 mile.
Gregg McNair of Guelph conditions All It Takes for his partners, and the gelding’s breeders, William Switala and James Martin of Clarence Center, New York. The son of Mach Three and Camber Hanover won two qualifiers at Mohawk in June, but struggled in his first two starts, finishing 10th in an overnight on June 27 and sixth in the July 7 Grassroots event.
“He qualified great,” said driver Doug McNair, “But he had some breathing troubles his last few starts. He got a little hot and we had to change equipment to quiet him down.
“He showed tonight he has a little go to him,” added the Guelph resident.
Friday’s division winners will look to pad their Grassroots point totals when the program stops at Georgian Downs for the third leg on August 9.
In Fillies & Mares Preferred action, the Tony Alagna-trained Bedroomconfessions tracked the aforementioned Ms Mac N Cheese from the pocket through panels of :26.3, :54.3 and 1:23 before hauling her down before the wire in 1:50.3. Randy Waples drove the four-year-old American Ideal mare, who earned her third straight victory at Mohawk while climbing to the $30,000 top class. The career winner of $587,710 is owned by Riverview Racing LLC and Alagna Racing LLC. Ms Mac N Cheese finished three-quarters of length behind in second and her fellow Moreau stablemate Sandbetweenurtoes came on for third.
On Saturday evening, Mohawk Racetrack hosts Bring A Friend Night and welcomes the OSS three-year-old trotting fillies and two-year-old pacing colts, each competing in a pair of $105,000 Gold Series divisions. The trotting fillies will square off in races two and three while the pacing colts battle in races seven and eight. Racing gets underway at 7:30 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.
(With files from OSS)