Silver Label’s full sister victorious on debut

Savethelastdance (Bettors Delight), a sister to SBOA Stakes winner Silver Label, won her debut in the first of five divisions of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots for two-year-old pacing fillies at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (Jul. 16).

The filly, in rein to James MacDonald, sat seventh at the half, tracked cover into the final turn, and rolled by two remaining rivals in the stretch to win in 1:55. Carla Cam (Artspeak, Chris Christoforou) lost for the first time in her third start, finishing second after taking over in the stretch. Prove Em Wrong (Betterthancheddar, Doug McNair) closed for third.

SAVETHELASTDANCE REPLAY

Savethelastdance is a homebred for Millar Farms of Stouffville, which also campaigns Silver Label. Nick Gallucci trains both fillies out of Real Desire dam Hidden Gem.

Bala (Sportswriter, McNair) battled through the final quarter with Grandeur Seelster (All Bets Off, Austin Sorrie) and prevailed in the second division with a 1:54.2 clocking. She held off the latter by a neck. Best Show (Shadow Play, Jonathan Drury) finished third.

BALA REPLAY

Peter Brickman trains Bala for Erin Brickman of Sebringville. The filly, a daughter of Shadow Play mare Muskoka Moonlight, was a $27,000 yearling purchase at the London Selected sale. She debuted on Jul. 5 and finished sixth.

In the third division, St Lads Dark Angel (Control The Moment, Bob McClure) jogged after a backstretch brush to earn a winner’s circle trip in her first career start with a 1:54.2 mile. Mighty Mary (Hes Watching, Louis-Philippe Roy) headed a closing group to finish second. Wifey Said So (Sunshine Beach, Travis Cullen) went from ninth to third.

ST LADS DARK ANGEL REPLAY

The winner is the seventh winner in the same number of starters out of unraced Northern Luck mare Fade To Black. John Pentland trains the filly for Malcolm and Bradley Macphail of Dover Centre, who bought her for $14,000 from the London Selected sale.

Shake It Twice (Sportswriter, McNair) was favoured in the fourth split after flashing late speed on debut, and the filly rallied from the pocket to score in 1:55. Controlthedistance (Control The Moment, Jody Jamieson) soared late but was a neck short of the winner. D A Temptation (Sportswriter), shipping in from Rideau Carleton for Guy Gagnon, finished third.

SHAKE IT TWICE REPLAY

Shake It Twice is the first foal from Set Me Up, a Shark Gesture mare who earned more than half a million dollars. Gregg McNair trains the filly for John Fleischman of Ottawa and Georges Grouix Jr. of Gatineau.

Glenboro (All Bets Off) executed a give-and-go and thundered home to take the final division for Travis Cullen in 1:55. Uncontrolled (Control The Moment, McNair) and One Last Wish (Bettors Delight, MacDonell) closed for place and show, respectively.

GLENBORO REPLAY

Cullen bred and owns Glenboro, a daughter of As Promised mare Feelin Flush. Jodie Cullen trains the filly, who is now one-for-three lifetime.

Ontario Sires Stakes action continues at Woodbine Mohawk Park on its next card with two Gold divisions for two-year-old pacing males. The program begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, Jul. 18.

The two-year-old pacing fillies clash again in the Grassroots at the Campbellville track on Aug. 11.

For complete OSS standings, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink