Ontario Graduate Finals and mandatory payout Saturday

MILTON, ON – May 4, 2023 – The harness racing finals of the inaugural Ontario Sired Graduate Series and a Jackpot Hi-5 mandatory payout hold top billing for Saturday’s 12-race card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The three Ontario Graduate finals, all going for a purse of over $80,000, each feature a star standout. Cold Creek Queso, Adare Castle and Silver Label sit as the horses to beat in Saturday’s finals.

The $81,500 Ontario Graduate final for four-year-old pacers is a seven-horse contest with all eyes on Cold Creek Queso (PP3, Sylvain Filion). The Murray Brethour trainee swept legs one and two prior to taking a rest for leg three, which was captured by Camara Moment.

Cold Creek Queso captured last season’s Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Super Final and sports career numbers of nine wins, $310,064 earned and a mark of 1:48.3.

O’Brien Award winner Adare Castle (PP4, James MacDonald) has come out strong to begin her four-year-old campaign. The Mark Etsell trainee is three for three and will look for the sweep of the Graduate Trot in Saturday’s $83,500 series final.

A compact group of six four-year-old trotters will clash, with mares Adare Castle and Mischevious Rose (PP2, Louis-Philippe Roy) part of the group. Those two mares finished one-two in last week’s third leg.

Adare Castle is a 17-time winner with $1.1 million earned and a mark of 1:52.4.

The $84,500 Ontario Graduate final for pacing mares will feature a full field of 10 lining up.

O’Brien Award winner Silver Label (PP3, James MacDonald) comes in off victories in legs two and three. The Nick Gallucci trainee has 14 wins, $866,864 earned and a mark of 1:50.2 to her name.

The Ontario Graduate Series finals are carded as Race 1 (Open Trot), Race 4 (Mares Pace) and Race 6 (Open Pace).

Saturday evening’s 12-race card will be capped off by a mandatory payout for the Jackpot Hi-5. The carryover is $271,267.52 and the total pool is expected to exceed $1 million.

The Jackpot Hi-5 requires horseplayers to select the top-five finishers in order. The wager carries a $0.20 minimum and 15 per cent takeout.

To download a free past performance program for Saturday’s card, click here.

Post time is 7 p.m.

Watch & Wager at Woodbine Mohawk Park

Horseplayers can watch and wager on this weekend’s Kentucky Derby simulcast coverage at the Mohawk Park Racebook. The Racebook will be opening on Friday and Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

For those unable to make it to the track, horseplayers can watch and wager on all of the Kentucky Derby and Woodbine action through HPIbet.com.

by Mark McKelvie, for Woodbine Communications