Ontario champion victorious in four-year-old debut

Ontario Sires Stakes champion and Hambletonian finalist Ghostly Casper (Resolve) returned to harness racing action on Friday (Apr. 12) at Woodbine Mohawk Park and won the first leg of the Canadian-sired Graduate Series.

The Tyler Borth-reined stallion chased the helmet of Louis-Philippe Roy, who was driving the first-over Tuscan Prince, as the seven-horse field rounded the final turn. Like Chaos (Trevor Henry) looked strong on the lead coming into deep-stretch, but Ghostly Casper exploded late and chased him down to score by three-quarters-of-a-length in 1:55.3. Like Chaos held second. Tuscan Prince, who was second to Ghostly Casper in the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Super Final last year, got up for third in his 2024 debut.

GHOSTLY CASPER REPLAY

Ghostly Casper is now five-for-30 lifetime and has earned $633,679. Benoit Baillargeon trains the stallion and co-owns him with Teresa Davidson of Milton, Santo Vena of Cedar Valley, and Nunzio Vena of Bolton. The horse earned more than $400,000 last year and reached the Hambletonian Final, finishing ninth.

Talk Curdy To Me (Betterthancheddar) topped her rivals in the first leg of the series for pacing mares. James MacDonald slid her out behind Powder Play (Jody Jamieson) entering the homeward turn, and the mare grinded past all three rivals ahead of her down the stretch for a three-quarter-length victory in 1:55. Powder Play was second after passing pacesetter and show-finisher Lady Get Lucky (Doug McNair).

TALK CURDY TO ME REPLAY

It was the first win of the season in two starts for Talk Curdy To Me. The mare was third in her OSS Super Final at three after elevating to the Gold level late in the season. She was trained by Chantal Mitchell in Canada in 2023 before Pollack Racing of Venetia acquired the mare and sent her to Jeff Cullipher at The Meadowlands. Dave Menary now conditions the four-year-old, a nine-time winner in 29 outings with $213,587 in earnings.

Leg two of the Canadian-sired Graduate Series for the pacing mares and trotters is set for Apr. 19. The open pacers will race their first leg on Apr. 13. The $75,000A finals of all three series for four-year-olds will be held on May 4.

The card also featured the first leg of the Ontario-sired Spring Series for three-year-old males with three pacing divisions and one for trotters. Convoy Hall (Muscle Mass) maintained his perfect record in the sole trotting contest with a three-length romp in 1:57.4. Sylvain Filion steered the gelding to a fifth straight win for trainer Bob McIntosh and owners Robert McIntosh Stables, Douglas John McIntosh, Randy Liepa, and Beverly Snobelen. Captain Wania (Henry) secured the place spot with four-and-three-quarter lengths separating him and The Canam Banker.

CONVOY HALL REPLAY

Four By Four (Shadow Play, Filion) also remained undefeated in a four-and-a-quarter-length domination as he beat the first-division pacers in 1:54.1. The colt is now three-for-three and has raced for Carmen Auciello in his most recent two after owners Danial Sarafian, Kevin McKinlay, and Jim Fielding acquired him on Mar. 12. Tricky Mcwicky (MacDonald) closed for second over Tamworth Boy (Jamieson).

FOUR BY FOUR REPLAY

Gigitygigitygigity (Sportswriter, Tyler Borth) put his opponents in a quagmire as he led from the first turn to the finish in the second split. The Rene Dion-trained gelding stopped the clock in 1:56.2 and made it back-to-back wins after starting his career 0-for-10. R A W Equine bred and co-owns the gelding with S&R Racing Stable. Jmr Speak Away (Jonathan Drury) flew home after a break on the far turn to take second. Brookdale J Mac (Filion) held third after a first-over bid.

GIGITYGIGITYGIGITY REPLAY

Warraweeforlaura (All Bets Off, Borth) circled all but one of his opponents in the last pacing group. The gelding struck the front in mid-stretch and powered clear by four-and-three-quarter lengths to win in 1:56.4. He is now three-for-eight for trainer Frank Baker, who co-owns him with Borth and William Stevenson of Dorchester. Your Party (Martin Lachance) broke on the last turn but re-rallied with a :28.1 last quarter to take second. Price Control (Roy) finished third.

WARRAWEEFORLAURA REPLAY

The second Ontario-sired Spring Series leg for male trotters and pacers goes forward on Apr. 19. The fillies will face off next on Apr. 18, and all divisions will have their finals on Apr. 27.

Woodbine Mohawk Park concludes its race week on Saturday, Apr. 13 with a 10-race card beginning at 7:10 p.m. EDT. The opener of the Graduate Series for open pacers and a $32,000 Preferred-2 headline the program.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink