Adare Castle strikes again

Adare Castle (Muscle Mass) equaled her lifetime best in a second consecutive Ontario Sires Stakes Gold victory in the $156,300 third harness racing leg for sophomore trotting fillies at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday (Jul. 22).

James MacDonald held the SBOA Stakes winner on the outside as Grace And Favor (Scott Young) steamed by on the outside into the first turn. Adare Castle continued to advance and rolled to the front as she hit the quarter in :27.3.

MacDonald lowered the tempo to a :57 half but faced an onrushing Mischievous Rose (Bob McClure) just past the midway point, and the pair dueled on the road to three-quarters in 1:24.2. Adare Castle never allowed that foe past, brushed her off on the final turn, and cruised home to a two-and-a-quarter-length victory in 1:53.2.

Saudra (Sylvain Filion) rallied from fifth to take second. Mischievous Rose held onto third.

Adare Castle was sent off at 1/5 in her fourth win in five starts this year. She won her elimination and the final of the SBOA Stakes, finished second to Saunda in the OSS Gold first leg, and has won both rounds of the top Ontario-sired series since. She is now 11-for-14 lifetime with $769,924 in earnings. Mark Etsell, who resides in Rockwood, trains the filly he co-owns with Robert Newton of Walkerton, Graham Hopkins of Chesley, and Peter Porter of Port Dover.

Driver Louis-Philippe Roy recorded his 2,000th career win on the card. To read the full story, click here.

Ontario Sires Stakes Gold racing continues on Saturday (Jul. 23) with two divisions of the OSS Gold second leg for three-year-old pacing males. First post will be at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

For complete OSS standings, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink