MacDonald, Gallucci, and Millar double up in $101,300 Golds

OTTAWA, August 28 – Driver James MacDonald, trainer Nick Gallucci, and owner George Millar won both $101,300 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies tonight at Rideau Carleton Raceway in polar opposite fashions. The first with a harness racing longshot from off the pace, and the second a favourite from out front.

In race six Velvet Stinger (Bettors Delight) paid $37.00 for her first career Gold win.

Velvet Stinger left from post three and due to traffic MacDonald sat well back of brisk opening panels of 26.1 and 54.3. She was still in sixth at the 3/4 pole before MacDonald found racing room and the filly took advantage.

“Velvet is a little champion,” said MacDonald. “She was buried the whole way, got shuffled, and when she got daylight, she just launched.”

Just before the wire she passed I Love Ongait and won by a head, setting a new lifetime mark of 1:52.0. It was the sixth win this season for the George Millar homebred, but first against top tier competition.

“I was just thrilled to see Velvet Stinger win,” said Millar. “She’s had a lot of unfortunate races, and mishaps, and should have finished better than she did. It’s just nice to see that after getting shuffled to the back of the field, she could come on and win the race. She’s such a tough little filly.”

Velvet Stinger is the fifth sophomore filly to win a Gold this season and joins her stablemates Silver Label (Bettors Delight) and Prohibition Legal as contenders in the crowded division with just one leg left before Super Final night.

Silver Label added to her OSS trophy case in race 9, winning her second Gold this season as the bettor’s top choice at 1-5.

Leaving from post two MacDonald navigated her into the pocket early, popped the first time through the stretch, and the Bettors Delight filly was the class of the field, leading unchallenged the rest of the way and winning in an identical time to the first division.

“She’s just a powerhouse,” said MacDonald. “The trip worked out great. Got to control the race and get soft fractions, and she was well within herself. It was a terrific night all around.”

Silver Label has now earned over $250,000 this season, backing up a freshman campaign where she was nominated for an O’Brien Award, and made $341,726.

“Silver Label, what can you say about her,” said Millar. “She’s been good all year and is racing in her best form right now. She’s just a really nice filly, and a good filly to be around.”

Millar and Gallucci weren’t content with taking the top spot in each division, Raptors Won with Johnathan Drury driving charged home in 26.1 to finish in second place.

“Nick’s done a great job with all these fillies, and he’s just such a good trainer,” said Millar. “It was just a great night; we haven’t had one of these nights in a while.”

For 3CP OSS Gold standings, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

From the Ontario Sires Stakes