I Love Ongait enjoys Whenuwishuponastar victory

After two second-place finishes in Ontario Sires Stakes Golds, I Love Ongait breezed to her first lifetime harness racing win in the Whenuwishuponastar Pacing Series first leg on Tuesday at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The daughter of Sunshine Beach led the field of nine two-year-old pacing fillies for the opening quarter mile after a sharp start from post eight. She completed the first panel in :28.4, but Flo (Trevor Henry) brushed past in the second quarter and headed her foes to the half in :59.

I Love Ongait followed in second until Bob McClure steered her to the outside as they swept into the far turn. Flo surrendered the lead shortly after setting a 1:28.3 three-quarter time, and I Love Ongait cruised down the stretch under restrained urging from McClure to a 1:55 win.

1/2 favourite Balance (James MacDonald) finished second by a length and three quarters after chasing the winner to the finish. Flo held onto the show placing.

I LOVE ONGAIT REPLAY

Ian Moore trains I Love Ongait, who paid $11.90, for Boca Raton-based owners Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Bottom Line Racing LLC, as well as Mac Nichol of Burlington. Let It Ride Stables Inc. is owned by Eric Cherry, the proprietor of online horse sales platform OnGait, for which the horse is named. Moore also trains Flo.

The second leg of the Whenuwishuponastar will go forward on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, followed by the $50,000 final on Tuesday, Aug. 10.

Louis-Philippe Roy was Tuesday evening’s top teamster with three wins.

Woodbine Mohawk Park will resume racing on Thursday, Jul. 11 with three Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions highlighting the 11-dash program. First post is listed as 7:00 p.m. EDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink