Big OSS stars in action at Mohawk

MILTON, June 28, 2023 – Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold action descends on Woodbine Mohawk Park this weekend with four divisions across two nights of racing, and over $400,000 in purses.

The doubleheader begins on Friday night with a pair of $101,300 divisions for sophomore trotting fillies in races three and six.

Race six features Baroness Hill (Kadabra), a talented filly trained by Chantal Mitchell, whose campaign started with breaks in both qualifying and pari-mutuel efforts before rebounding with an impressive OSS Gold win on June 13 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

“We just made slight changes, raised her head a little bit, that was really all it was,” said Mitchell. “She just needed to get herself into the right headspace. That’s all it’s been, it wasn’t any technical issues. She just needed to get into her own headspace, and get the driver and the horse on the same path.”

The filly’s two wins last year came from off the pace, but she led start to finish in her OSS victory. On Friday she’ll have O’Brien Award winner Righteous Resolve (Resolve), and her excellent gate speed, to contend with.

“I think my filly is better off a helmet anyways,” said Mitchell. “So, if we can follow a horse like Righteous Resolve, it will benefit her, but time will only tell. I like to think that my filly is just getting better, so going up against (Righteous Resolve) will be a good test.”

Baroness Hill drew post four on Friday and Doug McNair will sit behind her for owner Tom Hill.

Righteous Resolve will leave from post two with James MacDonald in the bike for trainer Matt Bax.

It’s the seasonal debut for the standout who was scratched from her division in the first Gold Leg. She has never finished off the board in 10 career starts for owners Bet Max Stables Inc. and Benenati Inc., and is the 2-1 morning line first choice.

The other division winner from Leg One HP Extra Ice (Alarm Detector) is 2-1 on the morning line in race three. She has already banked $135,885 in nine starts this season for owners Benoit Baillargeon, Claude Hamel, Santo Vena and Nunzio Vena.

Baillargeon trains the filly and has tapped James MacDonald to drive her from post two.

On Saturday night, the Glamour Boys will take centre stage with two $101,400 divisions in races three and eight as their OSS Gold season gets underway.

In the first division, Verdun (Bettors Delight), a Roland Trudel homebred, is looking to build on a strong start to the season in the conditioned ranks.

The colt comes in off back-to-back wins, including one on the Pepsi North America Cup undercard.

“He’s coming in at the top of his game,” said trainer Jean Tournigy. “It’s going to be a good test for him.”

He has faced Gold company once before and was fifth in a division of the Somebeachsomewhere on June 3.

Louis Philipe-Roy will pilot him from post four. Tournigy said his colt is better from behind, so watch for him down the stretch if the pace develops in his favour.

The second division is headlined by dual O’Brien and Dan Patch Award winner Stockade Seelster (State Treasurer). He rebounded from a heartbreaking third in his Pepsi North America Cup elimination to win the consolation by one and a half lengths.

Jody Jamieson is in the bike for trainer Dr. Ian Moore. The son of State Treasurer passed the million dollar mark for his owners Sally and Paul MacDonald with his victory in the North America Cup consolation.

For current OSS standings, click here.

For complete Friday race entries, click here.

For complete Saturday race entries, click here.

by Austin Stanton, for the Ontario Sires Stakes