Two-year-old trotting fillies took centre stage on Tuesday (July 24) at Woodbine Mohawk Park, with 24 juveniles contesting a trio of $18,800 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Grassroots events.
After struggling some to stay on to the end of the mile in her first three starts, Splurge On Me ($11.60) put it together in the night's second OSS division (race two) for a 1:59 score, the fastest among all three divisions. Bob McClure landed the daughter of Kadabra and Urge To Splurge in the pocket behind twos-on favourite Snooker (Doug McNair) through a :29.3 quarter before proceeding to stalk a mid-race duel between Snooker and outside challenger Tymal Royalty (Jody Jamieson) through middle splits of 1:00.3 and 1:29.2. As Tymal Royalty regressed upon cornering for home, McClure found room to angle Splurge On Me off the pegs, and she was driven to strike the front a sixteenth from home. Snooker maintained second, while Miss Congeniality (Sylvain Filion) worked into third another 4-1/4 lengths behind.
Trainer Bob McIntosh co-owns Splurge On Me with the C S X Stables. The win was the filly's first in four career starts.
Royaltys Pearl ($10.80) kicked off the night with a 2:01.1 maiden-breaking score, taking the first division (race one) in pillar-to-post fashion. Trainer-driver Wayne Henry sent the daughter of Royalty For Life and Hawaiian Viva to the fore from post 6 and never looked back, leading pocket foe and 8-5 favourite Order Mattie (Doug Brown) through splits of :29.3, 1:02 and 1:32 before keeping her 1-3/4 lengths in arrears at the finish. Galaxy Seelster (Stephen Byron) rallied mildly off cover to take third, 7-1/4 lengths farther back.
The Henry Stable, Daylon Farms Ltd. and Gordon Yeo share ownership of Royaltys Pearl.
The third division (race eight) gave sire Kadabra his second stakes win of the card, as second-time starter Delilah Seelster ($9.50) mounted a wide rally off third-over cover to just collar At Will in 2:00.4. Louis-Philippe Roy angled the daughter of Kadabra and Donatos Classic into third-over flow from the back of the pack as At Will (Filion) controlled a 1:00.4 first half, and the tandem were towed into contention on the sweeping far turn. While At Will was softened by first-over Rebellious Lady (Scott Young) coming off the home turn, Roy swung Delilah Seelster four-wide, and her ferocious stretch kick landed her a head the best. Nifty Trick (Trevor Henry) rallied mildly to take third after being circled in mid-stretch.
Richard Moreau trains Delilah Seelster for Gestion J Y Blais Inc.
In the $34,000 Preferred Trot, Warrawee Roo ($6.00) and Bob McClure lived up to favoured billing, stalking a third-quarter duel between Dancer Hall (Filion) and Will Take Charge (McNair) before Bob McClure hooked him three-wide in upper stretch. The five-year-old Majestic Son entire reached by a neck in 1:52.2, while Dancer Hall and the late-lifting Dunbar Hall (Jamieson) rounded out the top three finishers.
Luc Blais trains Warrawee Roo for Determination. The win was his second straight in Preferred company and the ninth of his career.
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.