First blood to OK Boomer in Sires Stakes heat

The Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen-trained Ok Boomer (Bettor’s Delight) drew first blood in the Woodlands Stud Sires Stakes Series on Thursday night’s (Sep. 22) harness racing action at Addington Raceway.

The blue blood in the blue and white stars was somewhat of a forgotten horse in the first of the heats which attracted a stellar field of 13 juveniles looking to cement their place in the prestigious Group One final to be held on Cup Day in November.

From barrier five, Jonny Cox had Ok Boomer in a prominent position early and was engaged in a brief battle for the lead with Carter Dalgety and Franco Mecca (Rock N Roll Heaven) before electing to take a position on the running rail in behind the pacemaker. It proved to be the winning of the race.

With Dalgety setting a solid tempo throughout aboard his charge, the more fancied All Stars pair of Sherlock (Vincent) and Carrera Rapido (Art Major) were finding it difficult to work into the race and with 150m to run, OK Boomer booted up the passing lane to record his first victory at just his fourth race day start.

The winner’s time was 2:25 for the 1980m journey with a mile rate of 1:57.8 and closing sectionals of 57.6 and 28.8. OK Boomer paid a ridiculous $20.50 on the tote and got out as far as $31 in fixed odds betting.

OK BOOMER REPLAY

The Robert & Jenna Dunn trained Who’s Delight (Bettor’s Delight) was good in second having enjoyed a cushy trip in the one-one for the majority of the race, with debutant Sherlock making up great late ground from wide out to snag third.

One of the runs of the race was the Regan Todd trained Holy Hecka (Sweet Lou) who after impressing at the trials with a seven and a half length win recently at Rangiora was able to finish into fourth after being last at the 800m mark.

Ok Boomer was a $130,000 purchase at the 2021 NZB National Standardbred Yearling Sale out of the Breckon Farms draft and is raced by a group that includes the Phil and Glenys Kennard, Jim & Anne Gibbs, the Breckon Farms Racing Syndicate and HRNZ CEO Gary Woodham and his wife Kerryn.

He is the fourth foal from the Art Major mare, Onlyforyou, who was a dual Group One winner as a juvenile.

Onlyforyou is already a Group One producing dam with the full sister to OK Boomer, A Bettor You, having won the two-year-old Diamond at the Harness Jewels meeting at Cambridge in 2021.

For complete race results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink