Thong Control shocks freshman pacing rivals in $60,000 Grassroots Final

MILTON, October 1, 2022 – The $60,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Championship for two-year-old male pacers saw 1-5 favourite Reign Supreme make front before the first turn, but 36-1 longshot Thong Control (Control The Moment-Thong Song) and Sylvain Filion stole the crown in deep stretch.

In a little early drama that foreshadowed a stunning stretch drive, James MacDonald lost Hes a Sweetheart to a break soon after the start. Reign Supreme with Louis-Philippe Roy driving cleared Watch My Chips and Doug McNair on the first turn, and The Golden Jet and Jody Jamieson followed from third to the 26.0 first quarter.

Roy’s popular pacesetter led to the 55.2 half, shadowed by Watch My Chips and The Golden Jet, but there was plenty of action underway in the backfield.

Longshot Twin B Risenshine, and Travis Henry sat fourth; Ahi Sunshine and Bob McClure ventured first-over from fifth, with Chris Christoforou following with Watchmaker on cover second over.

Although Reign Supreme had opened up by three lengths going into the turn for home, he found himself matching strides with challenger Ahi Sunshine by three-quarters, which they reached together in 1:23.4.

Watchmaker looked ready to overtake both as the finish loomed, yet it was another closer who was gaining late ground, winding up from far back in eighth: Thong Control.

The Golden Jet surged between Reign Supreme and Ahi Sunshine strides from the wire, but Thong Control flew home out wide to win by a half-length in 1:51.4. Ahi Sunshine finished third, just ahead of Watchmaker.

Filion described how his colt stepped up after finishing fifth in his September 22 OSS Grassroots Semi-Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

“Last time out I had him revved up too much, and I think I shut his air off,” said Filion. “So tonight, with the outside post, I kept him quiet, and I was just hoping for good fractions, and you know what? Mother luck was with us tonight and he closed hard.”

Although overlooked at the betting windows, Filion said he felt Thong Control just needed a reasonable trip to succeed in the October 1 final.

“He raced good all year, maybe last week he was a bit deceiving, but he bounced back pretty good,” said Filion. “When I was on [driver Scott Young’s] back and he wanted to run over ‘I felt I had a good shot there. When I moved him, he went hard and he raced real good.”

Thong Control returned $75.90 to win.

He is owned by Steve Garceau and Roland Trudel, Becancour, Que., and trainer Jean Tourigny, Guelph, Ont., who recently went over the $10-million mark in career earnings.

The 1:51.4 win is a new mark for the former $15,000 Harrisburg yearling, who is the ninth foal of dam Thong Song. Bred by Douglas Millard, Woodstock,Ont., the black colt is looked after by caretaker Kenny Ellis.

To read about all of the 2022 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Finals and view the replays, click here.

For complete race results, click here.