Local colt gets first Gold win of 2015

Local horse Platoon Seelster earned his first Gold Series victory of the season at the harness racing meeting at Grand River Raceway on Wednesday night, and a sizeable number of Mount Forest and Harriston residents joined the three-year-old trotter in the winner's circle.

"A bunch of family were out, and friends," said driver Ryan Holliday. "Everybody's pretty excited about him, so he's got quite a fan club."

Starting from Post 4 – the first inside post they have seen in Gold competition this season – Holliday fired Platoon Seelster to the front and hit the opening quarter in :28.3.

Through the :58.4 half and 1:29.2 three-quarters Platoon Seelster continued to lead the pack, with Muscle Up The Goal tucked in behind him and Namesmuscle in the outer lane.

Turning for home Muscle Up The Goal attempted to power up the passing lane, but Platoon Seelster battled to a nose victory in 1:57.2.

Muscle Up The Goal settled for second with Rubber Duck getting up for third.

Fan favourite Dont Rush ran into traffic trouble in the outer lane and finished fifth.

"I didn't really care if I cut it but I wanted to be up close you know, because you need to be on the half-mile tracks," said Holliday of the front-end tour. "I was happy to cut it.

"He is a tough little horse," the Mount Forest resident continued. "He may not be the best one, but he gives everything he's got, every single time out there."

Holliday engineered the win for his father, trainer David Holliday, his wife, co-owner Caroline Holliday, both of Mount Forest, and co-owner Dennis Hannath of Harriston

The reinsman says the group is enjoying every experience with the son of Federal Flex, who moved into top spot in the division standings with Wednesday's win.

"Everybody says it's easy when you get a good one, they're right," Holliday reflected. "He's simple, all he wears is a set a trotting boots, he tries good, he eats good – he does everything good. He's just a good horse, a pleasure to be around.

"We're just trying to take it all in; we've never had one like this."

Platoon Seelster will now enjoy a mini-vacation in a field at the Holliday's farm before beginning preparations for the fourth Gold Series event at Mohawk Racetrack on August 17.

The other two Gold division winners also earned some special treatment from their connections.

In the second $70,000 division driver Chris Christoforou employed the tactics that had proved fruitful for Holliday and sent Covert Operative straight to the front from Post 3.

The duo rolled through fractions of :28, :57.4 and 1:27.3 before battling down the stretch to a one-half length victory over fan favourite Citizen Hall in a three-year-old trotting gelding track record 1:57.

Caulfield rounded out the top three.

Campbellville, ON resident Chris Christoforou engineered the win for trainer Per Henriksen of Norwood, ON and owners Andrea Lea Racing Stables Inc. of Lakefield Gore, QC and ASA Farm of Norwood. The win was the Deweycheatumnhowe son's fifth of the season, but his first ever in Ontario Sires Stakes action.

In final division Milton, ON resident Sylvain Filion also went with the proven formula and put Eternal Quest on the lead from Post 1.

The favourites rang up fractions of :29.2, 1:00.1 and 1:29.4 before sailing across the wire two and one-quarter lengths on top in 1:58.1. Setanta and Winning Wizard finished second and third.

Chad Milner conditions Eternal Quest for Murray Ferguson Jr. of Sutton West, ON.

Through five starts this season Eternal Quest, a son of Pilgrims Taj, has now posted one Gold Series win, one Grassroots win and three runner-up finishes in overnight races.

Ontario Sires Stakes action continues at Grand River Raceway next Wednesday, July 22 with the second Grassroots event for the two-year-old trotting fillies.

Ontario Horse Racing