from the Ontario Sire Stakes

Campbellville, ON — Last season’s freshman trotting colt champion Dont Rush made his Ontario Sires Stakes debut at Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday evening (June 4), capturing a $14,400 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots division in impressive fashion.

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Dont Rush was a 1:56.3 winner in OSS Grassroots action on Thursday.

In rein to Chris Christoforou, Dont Rush eased off the starting gate into eighth and then sat patiently in the outside lane until the stretch. When Christoforou asked the Infinitif son for another gear Dont Rush responded with a sharp finishing kick that propelled him to a neck victory over Ontheroad De Vie and Call Me Richard, stopping the Mohawk teletimer at 1:56.3.

“He raced really good,” said trainer Dustin Jones. “He was out the whole way and he brought it home in :28 flat, which was really good, we were happy with him.”

Jones said the colt’s next stakes start will come in the Gold leg at Mohawk on June 30.

“We’re not going to go to the Goodtimes (June 12) with him, we’re going to try and find a race the week before the Gold and go to the Gold here,” explained the horseman, who bred Dont Rush and shares ownership of the $275,000 winner with George Judson.

Joining Dont Rush in the June 30 Gold event will be his stablemate One Direction, who finished second in the fifth Grassroots division, 2-3/4 lengths behind winner Muscle Up The Goal.

“We’ll probably try him in the Gold the next time here too,” said Jones of One Direction, a Deweycheatumnhowe son he owns in partnership with Ernst Gerbaulet of Germany. “He raced pretty good, but I knew when I got away third I wasn’t going to be able to beat the other guy.”

Muscle Up The Goal controlled the fractions for the bulk of the ninth race, cruising home to a 1:56.2 win over One Direction and Thoughtful Leader. Steve Condren piloted the Muscle Mass son to the win for trainer Rob Fellows and owner Synerco Ventures Inc. Like Dont Rush, Muscle Up The Goal enjoyed success on the Gold Series circuit last season, capturing two trophies before his freshman campaign came to an early end.

Both Dont Rush and Muscle Up The Goal were sent off as heavy favorites, as was Infiniti AS, who clocked the quickest mile of the six Grassroots divisions. Driver Rick Zeron sent Infiniti AS to the front heading for the halfway marker and the Infinitif son sailed under the wire eight lengths to the good in 1:55. Pilgrims Joy and Boondock complete the top three.

Anette Lorentzon trains Infiniti AS for owner-breeders ACL Stuteri AB. Thursday’s win was the colt’s first in Ontario Sires Stakes action and his third in nine lifetime starts.

The other Grassroots trophies were taken home by Kadabrasnewrecruit, Eternal Quest and Top Dollar.

Kadabrasnewrecruit and driver Randy Waples reeled in fan favorite Muscle Mack at the wire, earning their first victory of the season with a 1:56.2 clocking. A two-time Grassroots winner at two, the Kadabra gelding is owned by trainer Bob McIntosh. Molon Lave completed the triactor in the second division.

Sylvain Filion opted for front end tactics with Eternal Quest in the fourth division, besting New Muscle AS and Gronk in a sharp 1:55.2. The win was the Pilgrims Taj gelding’s first in five lifetime outings. Chad Milner trains the trotter for owner Murray Ferguson Jr.

The last Grassroots blanket awarded on Thursday evening went home with Top Dollar, who swept from last to first in the stretch under the guidance of James MacDonald. The Deweycheatumnhowe son chased down fan favorite Seeking Steven and Federal Deputy to secure the 1:57.3 victory. Ann Karin Larsen conditions Top Dollar for her partners Steve Organ, Stig Westrum and Tor Jan Larsen.

The 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings make their second Grassroots start at Grand River Raceway on June 24, while Mohawk Racetrack hosts the second Gold Series event on June 30. The Ontario Sires Stakes program makes one more stop at Mohawk this week, when the 3-year-old pacing fillies battle in two C$105,000 Gold Series divisions on Saturday. Post time for Saturday’s program, which also features the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts, is 7:25 p.m.