Ontario Sires Stakes
In the second of the three OSS eliminations, Cold
Certified established a new track record for three-year-old gelding trotters at
the London oval with an impressive 1:57.4 effort which shaved a full second off
the previous mark of 1:58.4 set by Boogie Woogie.
The race saw Cimeronken and John Campbell in control
early but Jason Brewer sent Cold Certified up from third and took over the lead
at the :28.3 opening quarter. He continued on top through the :58.2 half and
shook off a determined Grandin Road, who was head to head with him at the
1:27.4 third quarter, to win in the record time. Keystone Orion was two lengths
back in second while Cimeronken was third.
Gary Lance of Port Perry, Ontario owns and trains the
winner, a son of Kadabra, who now has three wins and two seconds in five
sophomore starts. He is the first foal of the $205,000 winner I Like Stephanie.
One of last year’s top performers, Il Mago, made his 2012
debut an impressive one in his elimination. Tymal Oh So Nice and Yannick
Gingras set the tempo in this test with fractions of :29.1 and 1:00.2. Trevor
Ritchie had Il Mago out and driving for the top from third and they were head
to head with the leader at the 1:29.3 third panel before pulling away.
Il Mago hit the wire in 1:59 over Midfield Magic and
Heres The Magic. A winner of $170,000 from 10 starts last year at two, Il Mago
is owned by breeder Chris Alexander and Mark Harder. Rod Boyd trains the
half-brother to $480,000 winner Shoeless White Sox.
In the first
elimination it was Northern Escort holding strong to win for Yves Filion
in 1:58.3. The Kadabra colt grabbed the lead just past the :29 opening quarter
from Ballykeel Ulysses, hit the half in :59.2 repelled a first up challenge on
his way to the 1:28.4 three quarters and held off a fast closing Ballykeel
Ulysses to earn the win. Warrawee Nimby
finished third.
It was the third straight win for Northern Escort,
trained by Filion’s son Justin for owners Les Ecuries JYJ Inc. of Quebec. Bred
by Dr. John McKnight and Pedigree Farm, Northern Escort made just three starts
last year at two. He now has $61,000 banked to date this year from a half dozen
starts.
The field for the $130,000 final will line up as follows
next Friday night:
1. Il Mago
2. Midfield Magic3. Warrawee Nimby
4. Ballykeel Ulysses
5. Cold Certified
6. Northern Escort
7. Keystone Orion
8. Cimeronken
City Of London Series
It was the heavy favourites prevailing in the two City of
London Series divisions for male trotters with Hey AJ notching the fastest
victory in the second split with a wire to wire 2:00.4 effort off fractions of
:30.1, 101.3 and 1:32.2. Herbie Is Gone
made a valiant effort to catch the leader and finished second with Proby third.
Trevor Henry was up behind the winner, a son of Striking
Sahbra trained by John Cecchin who co-owns with fellow trainer Murray Brethour.
It was the third consecutive win for Hey A J who is now 4-1-0 in five starts
this year.
In the first division P C Firecracker redeemed himself
after making a break in the opening leg last week. The three-year-old gelding
by Amigo Hall sat back in fourth while R Baby Q and Scott McIntosh set the
early fractions of :29 and :59.2.
Kilmartinliberator took over the lead just before the
1:29.4 third panel but his lead was short lived as he made a break heading into
the final turn. That allowed P C Firecracker, who’d been parked and advancing
since before the half, to inherit the lead and he opened up for Curtis Clements
to win by three lengths in 2:01.4. R Baby Q took second with Herb N Janet
third.
P C Firecracker, trained by breeder Peter Clements who
co-owns with Amy Clements, now has six wins in seven lifetime starts, all this
year.
A trio of City of London divisions for trotting fillies
and mares completed tonight’s card. The first division saw Real Housewife go
gate to wire for Paul MacKenzie in 2:02.2 to defeat Cut The Rug and Winbak
Audit. It was the first lifetime win for the Ken Warkentin daughter owned by
Paul Gray of Nova Scotia and trained by Mike Brealey.
In the second split Daylon Miracle kept her unbeaten
streak alive with a 2:01 front end romp for Dave Wall over a very game Cynthia
Loo and Sovereign Ley. A half-sister to millionaire trotter Daylon Magician,
Miracle is also owned by her breeder Daylon Farm (Mary and Dave Lemon) and
trained by Dave Lemon.
The final division saw another wire to wire performance,
this one by Amber Kadabra and Scott Young who reached the wire first in 2:02
over Laurie Jackelroy and Hunter Hall. It was the second win in seven career
starts for the three-year-old daughter of Kadabra owned by Ken Bryant and
trained by Scott Barr.
