Dundas, ON — The 2022 Ontario Sires Stakes season begins Sunday (May 22) at Flamboro Downs, on the C$458,300 Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup card. It will be a busy evening for local trainer Anthony Beaton, who has starters in three of the four C$22,000 Grassroots divisions for 3-year-old pacing colts.

Beaton, a resident of Waterdown, Ontario, had a strong OSS season in 2021, with 10 horses making 42 starts to earn more than C$245,000.

“We are definitely looking to have a good season with our young stock and I’m hopeful we can have some success in the OSS,” said Beaton. “(The OSS) is a great program for us up here. We go for good money, and it is very competitive.”

Coligny Hanover (Sunshine Beach) — Beaton’s second highest OSS earner in 2021 — is part of the trio he is harnessing Sunday. The gelding raced at the Gold level last year, posting three top-five finishes in four starts. He has three starts in 2022 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, including the SBOA eliminations last weekend. James MacDonald is in the bike Sunday night, drawing the rail position in race three.

“It’s not that he didn’t perform in the SBOAs, but he was pressed off the speed and it was too far to come,” said Beaton. “I think James will get him away half decent on Sunday, and he’ll be there to see who wins, or possibly win himself.”

Stone Carver (Bettor’s Delight) comes in off a May 12 performance at Mohawk where he paced a mile in 1:52.3 to finish second by a half-length. He won a Grassroots leg at Mohawk in 2021 before a tough trip in the Battle of Waterloo final knocked him off balance for the remainder of the year. He’ll start from post two in race one on Sunday.

“Towards end of year he was tired,” said Beaton. “We’re going to protect him and race him at smaller tracks this year to keep him fresher towards the end of the year, when the bigger money is available for the Grassroots.”

Rounding out Beaton’s three-pack is Lyons Pride, from the seven post in the final C$22,000 division, race eight. The son of Bettor’s Delight had a 0-1-1 record in five 2021 Grassroots starts and earned a spot in the semi-finals. He will be looking to pick up some early season points from a tricky outside post position.

The other C$22,000 Grassroots division is race six. Sports Advisor (Sportswriter) is an 8-5 favorite.