Before severe rains forced Woodbine Mohawk Park to abandon the remainder of its card on Saturday night (July 15), a pair of $23,800 divisions of Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Grassroots went to gate for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
In the first division, Coppereagle rallied from off the speed to deliver as the odds-on favourite in 1:59.2.
Driver James MacDonald landed Coppereagle in sixth while Northernchancellor charged from post 10 to the point to a :29 first quarter. Slayin Theday Away, leaving from post nine, then assumed control before a 1:00 half while Come On Stanley readied a first-over push to the final turn. Come On Stanley then grabbed control by three-quarters in 1:30 while MacDonald had Coppereagle perched third over heading into the stretch drive. Coppereagle came calling after Come On Stanley through the lane and collared the late leader by a nose at the beam with Tymal Loverboy third and Northernchancellor fourth.
Stephen Bossence trains Coppereagle, a colt by Muscle Mass, for owner No One Knows Us Stable. The colt paid $3.90 to win on his debut.
While a favourite landed in the opener, Tyler Borth blew up the toteboard in the second division with a pillar-to-post job by North Of Nine in 1:59.2 at odds of 37-1.
Borth barelled the Keith Jones trainee to a three-length lead past a :28.2 first quarter before rating up the backside to a :59.4 half. Snagging another soft quarter around the final turn to clock three-quarters in 1:31, North Of Nine maintained command through the lane as 6-5 favourite Alexander attempted to recoup ground from second over. Alexander ran out of racetrack though, and North Of Nine held by three-quarter lengths to win with Stomper Tom another four lengths behind in third.
Also making his debut, North Of Nine races for owner Douglas McCarthy. The Royalty For Life colt paid $76.50 to win.
A torrential downpour following Saturday’s fourth race forced Woodbine Mohawk Park to cancel the remainder of its live racing program due to unsafe track conditions.
Live harness racing is scheduled to resume on Monday evening (July 17). Post time is 7 p.m. (EDT).
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(with files from Woodbine Mohawk Park)