from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Dundas, ON — Ontario’s 3-year-old trotting and pacing colts served up five impressive performances on the Confederation Cup program at Flamboro Downs on Sunday (May 20).

Super Final champion Western Passage picked up where he left off at the end of last season with a gritty 1:53.4 victory in the second $51,792 Gold Series division. Parked outside pacesetter Levis Day from just before the :58.1 half right through to the finish, Western Passage got a nose in front to claim the third Ontario Sires Stakes victory of his career. Levis Day settled for second and Shadow Moon was two lengths back in third.

“That was a big back-half first-over,” said trainer Casie Coleman from the winner’s circle. “I was really happy with him tonight.”

Coleman shares ownership of the Sportswriter gelding with her partners in the West Wins Stable, John and McKinlay Fielding and Calhoun Racing Ltd. The win bumped the fan favorite’s lifetime earnings to $195,502.

Driver Doug McNair’s appearance in the winner’s circle with Western Passage was his fourth of the evening and his second straight in Gold Series action. He captured the first Gold division with Backstreet Shadow for his father, trainer Gregg McNair, and owners Lindsey and Connie Rankin.

Starting from post two, McNair sent Backstreet Shadow to the front and the Shadow Play gelding cruised home a one length winner in 1:52.3. Favorite St Lads Neptune was second and Wind Blast was third. Sunday’s win was the second of the 2018 campaign for Backstreet Shadow, who was unplaced in two Gold Series starts as a 2-year-old.

“Backstreet was a fast horse last year, just a little immature,” McNair noted. “He’s really matured and seems like he’s on the right track to being a real nice horse.”

The fastest of the three Gold divisions, and the fastest mile of the evening, was clocked by Jimmy Freight and driver Louis Philippe Roy in race 11. The fan favorites hit the wire 6-1/4 lengths ahead of Chocolate Swirl and Burning Midnight in 1:51.3. It was the second win of the sophomore campaign for Sportswriter son Jimmy Freight, who was a two-time Gold winner at two and the runner-up to Western Passage in the Super Final.

“I don’t know what his limit is,” said Roy from the winner’s circle. “So far I don’t see — how he raced tonight — I don’t see much that can beat him.”

Roy engineered the win for trainer Richard Moreau and owner Adriano Sorella.

Trainer John Bax and driver Steve Byron opened the Confederation Cup program with a sweep of the 3-year-old trotting colt Grassroots divisions.

The pair graced the winner’s circle for the first time with Delcrest Holiday in race one. Starting from post two, Delcrest Holiday went gate-to-wire in 2:00.3, fending off Nobodynosjustice and Leaderofthepack to secure the half-length victory. The win was the first of the season for Delcrest Holiday and marked a new personal best for the gelding, who was also victorious in the first Grassroots event of the season as a 2-year-old. The son of Holiday Road is owned by Bax Stable, Gaelic Stable, Ken Bax, and John Houston.

Byron employed the same tactics in the second Grassroots division, sending favorite Sicario directly to the front from post five and reaching the 1:58.2 finish without facing a challenge. Sicario sailed home 1-3/4 lengths ahead of Bigboy Roscoe and Northern Ruler. Sunday’s outing was Sicario’s first appearance in the Ontario Sires Stakes program, but not his first in the winner’s circle. The son of Holiday Road is now a four-time winner in 10 sophomore starts for Bax Stable and breeder Dave Hudson.

“We are pleasantly surprised and grateful,” said Bax. “That was a good start to the year, hopefully it will carry on.

“It’s Matt’s birthday today, so it was a nice birthday present,” added the horseman, who shares training duties and ownership in the Bax Stable with his son Matt.