Pocket-sitter Hasty Bid hustled through an opening at the pegs to outsprint 9-5 favourite Ghostly Casper and secure the lone $159,000 division of Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Saturday night (July 8) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Tuscan Prince pushed to grab the lead from Hasty Bid past a :27.2 first quarter and cruised under minimal challenge through a :56.1 half. Ghostly Casper crept closer along the rim after getting away seventh to move by horses one by one while Tuscan Prince and Hasty Bid peeled away from the rest of the field through the final turn.
A three-horse charge spun off three-quarters in 1:24.1 with Tuscan Prince levelling off through the lane. Ghostly Casper came charging down the center of the track while Hasty Bid had a straight line to shoot through at the pylons. That straight line gave enough advantage to Hasty Bid as he kept a head up on Ghostly Casper in the sprint to the finish of a 1:52.3 mile. Tuscan Prince settled for third and Passarino took fourth.
“It’s amazing. He’s been such a special horse for us,” said winning driver James MacDonald after the race. “I’m just so happy. I can go give him a big hug.
“My horse is so versatile,” MacDonald also said. “He’s shown he’s maybe not the best on the front, but he’s got that gate speed if you want [the front]. I figured in a race like that, it looked like [Ghostly] Casper or Tuscan [Prince] would cover us up. When Louis [Roy with Tuscan Prince] kept pushing, it was best-case scenario – I know his horse drifts out down the lane, so I thought I was going to get a chance to race anyway.”
Hasty Bid won his third race from 14 starts and has now banked $324,983 for owner 1000063663 Ontario Inc. and trainer Paige Austin. The gelding by My MVP paid $7.10 to win.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.