Woodbine Mohawk Park featured a Thursday (July 13) evening card packed with Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series and Grassroots Series action for freshman fillies.
Willys Home Run and James MacDonald took home the win in the $104,000 OSS Gold for two-year-old trotting fillies.
MacDonald was in the bike for Rob Fellows as they went to the gate from post two in the field of 10. As the gate pulled away, Resolute Lady (Matthew Bax) secured her spot on the front with Dontmesswithmama (Jody Jamieson) on the outside of her. Willys Home Run was third as they clocked the quarter in :28. MacDonald tipped the filly out and took aim for the front. Willys Home Run took over and led through the half in :59 and three-quarters in 1:28 before storming home in :28. The pair collected their win by three lengths in 1:56. Resolute Lady overcame broken equipment to take second and Miss Cara (Trevor Henry) grabbed third.
After a second-place finish in her first start, Willys Home Run is now 1-1-0 in two career starts with earnings totalling $56,000. Dr. Sara Gatchell, Jake and Reg Higgs, and Yolanda Fellows co-own the Archangel-Rite Outa The Park filly, a full-sister to the fastest trotter on Canadian soil, Logan Park.
"She always feels good. She feels super professional," said driver James MacDonald. "She feels like she just wants to race all the time, so I was confident that she would be good, but you never know first time in the lead, they can do anything. It was definitely the result we were hoping for."
In the second OSS Gold division, a nine-horse field of trotting fillies competing for a $103,100 purse, Classy Royale and Jody Jamieson won in 1:57.
Hit The Bank (MacDonald) was in command of the field to the quarter in :29 with No One (Bruce Richardson) second. Classy Royale was caught on the outside through the opening panel before settling into the top spot. The Carl Jamieson trainee led the field through panels in :59.1 and 1:28.2 before winning by a length. Hit The Bank finished second and Scarlets Melody (Sylvain Filion) was third.
Carl Jamieson co-owns the Royalty For Life-Very Classy filly with Glengate Farms, Joanne Morrison and Dr. Bob Boyce. The filly also moved her record to 1-1-0 in two career starts with a career bankroll of $55,550.
"I just did what she wanted to do," said driver Jody Jamieson. "She was easy to drive. Really, I just let her do what she wants."
In the five $22,600 OSS Grassroots divisions, victories were earned by Resilience (Louis-Philippe Roy, 1:52.2), Its A Love Thing (MacDonald, 1:55.1), Collusion Hanover (Roy, 1:55.1), T H Jackies Legacy (Travis Cullen, 1:55.1) and Grannys Watching (Jonathan Drury, 1:53.1). Right Match won the $22,200 OSS Grassroots division in 1:54.4 with Bob McClure in the bike.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.