The Moment Arose back on track with Grassroots score

The Moment Arose (Control The Moment) bounced back from a final-quarter break as the Battle of Waterloo favourite with an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots victory on Thursday (Aug. 18) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The freshman colt took up the first-over role in the third panel and steamrolled to the front for Doug McNair as the field straightened for home en route to a 1:55.2 score. Hes A Sweetheart (Chris Christoforou) fired up late for second and closed the gap to one length. Delightful Leader (Phil Hudon) finished third.

The Moment Arose is now three-for-five lifetime. He won on debut in the Grassroots and finished third in a Gold dash before heading to Grand River for the Battle of Waterloo. He won his elimination but broke stride in the closing stages of the final and was placed seventh. The Gregg McNair trainee has earned $44,296 for owners John Starmatis and Joseph Orofiamma of Bolton and James Georgakopoulos of North York.

Whatchulookin At (Hes Watching) won his second straight race in the first of five Grassroots divisions for freshman pacers on the evening, stepping up to the Grassroots from conditioned company and winning in 1:54.1. Joker On Jack (Sylvain Filion) was in time to deny the closing Verdun (Louis-Philippe Roy) the place cheque.

Doug and Gregg McNair also teamed up on Whatchulookin At. The latter, a resident of Guelph, co-owns the colt with co-breeders Jim Newton of Saskatoon and Bloomingwood Farms of Harriston, along with Paul Kidd of Guelph. Whatchulookin At has now won two of three lifetime outings and has earned $20,580.

Twin B Risenshine (Sunshine Beach) hit the board for the first time in his career after six unsuccessful starts in a 1:55 second-division victory. He edged Nulli Secondus (Doug McNair) for the win. Sharky (Christoforou) took third.

Twin B Risenshine, trained by Francis Dumouchel, finished fourth in two conditioned races to open his account and finished fifth in consecutive Gold contests in July. Prior to the win, he had finished fourth and sixth in conditioned races this month. He has now earned $25,070 for owners Kingston Henry of Emrbo, Ecurie CSL of Sorel-Tracy, O A S 2022 of Komoka, and Gaston Bibeau of Sorel-Tracy. The group purchased the colt for $26,000 at the Ontario Select sale.

Ahi Sunshine (Sunshine Beach) flew off cover in the final eighth of a mile in the third group and finished strongly to win by a length in 1:53.2 for Filion. The Golden Jet (Roy) briefly took over in the stretch but could not hold off the winner. D A Home Stretch (McNair) was third.

It was Ahi Sunshine’s second lifetime win in five tries. His bankroll now totals $22,924. Shawn Steacy conditions the entire for breeder Hudson Standardbred Stable of Hudson, which co-owns with Allen Sellen of St. Catherines and Bridle Path Stables of Ossining.

Reign Supreme (Control The Moment) surged in mid-stretch off second-over cover to take the final Grassroots division in 1:53.2. Nothing Bettor (MacDonald) charged home to nail Watchmaker (McNair) on the line for second.

Reign Supreme broke his maiden last out as he made his second start. The John Pentland trainee has now earned $19,100 for owner and co-breeder Zachary Carroll of Shedden.

Doug McNair was the day’s top driver with four wins.

The next card at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday, Aug. 19 features the $158,100 third Ontario Sires Stakes Gold leg for freshman pacing colts. The track’s top pacing mares will also battle in a $33,000 Open.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink