from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — Boomboom Ballykeel, Jet Airway, and Victor Bayama posted victories in the three C$70,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series events for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday night’s (June 28) card at Mohawk Racetrack.

Boomboom Ballykeel, who won the 2013 Metro Pace at Mohawk, zoomed to a 1:50.3 effort in the first division, giving him his second OSS Gold victory of the season. With Sylvain Filion at the lines, Boomboom Ballykeel would follow from the pocket while Three Of Clubs (Doug McNair) chopped out fractions of :26.3, :55.1, and 1:23.3. Filion sent his charge on the attack in the stretch, and he would collar and pass the pace-setter before he pulled clear to win by a length. Three Of Clubs held second and Hunch Man (Mike Saftic) came home in third.

Richard Moreau trains Boomboom Ballykeel, a Mach Three-Teig N Riley colt for owner/breeder Ballykeel Racing Inc. Boomboom Ballykeel has a pair of wins from four starts this year, and he has five career victories. He has earned C$76,000 in 2014 and C$465,702 lifetime. Boomboom Ballykeel is a full brother to Mach Of Ballykeel (C$369,770), a former Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series winner as well.

Bugger Bruiser (Anthony MacDonald), the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final winner for this group last year, clicked off a :27.4 opening quarter, a :56 half, and 1:23.4 three-quarters in the second Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series tilt, but in the stretch public choice Jet Airway (Randy Waples) came roaring up on the outside from second-over, and he would dash to the wire to win in 1:50.4. Speckled Door (Doug McNair) finished second, beaten 1-1/2 lengths, and Mittcent Van Gogh (Jody Jamieson) was the third-place finisher.

Jet Airway, a Jereme’s Jet-Aromatic colt, is trained by Tony Alagna for owners Ervin Miller Stable Inc., Tangie Massey, Paul Sunderhaus and Larry Agle. Jet Airway posted his third victory from seven trips behind the gate this year, and he now has six career triumphs. He has pocketed C$69,493 in 2014 and C$131,992 in his life. Jet Airway’s family includes half-sister Angel Scent, a winner of more than C$208,000 in her career.

Sylvain Filion was back for another taste of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold in the last section as he guided Victor Bayama to a 1:50.3 verdict. Victor Bayama was up to grab the lead past the :26.2 opening quarter, and after posting middle-half splits of :55.1 and 1:23.1, he zipped home in :27.2 to win by 3-1/2 lengths over Play It Again Sam (Chris Christoforou). Roger Mach Em (Jack Moiseyev) checked in the third position.

Stephane Larocque trains the victorious Mach Three-Joyce Bayama colt for owner/breeder Bayama Farms Inc. An Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series winner at two, Victor Bayama was making his seasonal debut following a trio of qualifiers (two wins and a second) over Mohawk’s seven-eighths-mile oval. Victor Bayama, a half-brother to Rebeka Bayama (C$715,797) and Omega Bayama (C$264,766), is now a three-time winner from 13 career tries, and he has put away C$102,708.

In addition to the on track action, fans at Mohawk Racetrack got to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Ontario Sires Stakes with cake and t-shirt tosses. A full schedule of upcoming OSS anniversary celebrations is available here.

The next OSS Gold level event for the 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings will take place July 28 at Mohawk Racetrack. For full results and charts of Saturday night’s races, please click here.