by Sandra Snyder, for the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — Ontario’s mighty Sires Stakes program gears up for its 34th season this Sunday evening, May 20, at Campbellville’s Mohawk Racetrack.

An impressive line-up of 3-year-old trotting colts will fire out of the gate in four Gold eliminations, including 2006 division champion Beer Budget, who heads into the sixth race off a pair of solid qualifying efforts.

“He qualified real nice the first time (May 4). He showed some real quick speed at the end of it,” says Rockwood resident Chris Beaver. “He never showed any quick speed last year, so that was real nice. Last week (May 11) we used as a tightener.”

Beer Budget’s hallmarks as a 2-year-old were his consistency and determination. The Yankee Paco son recorded four wins, three seconds and one third in 13 starts and finished out of the money on just two occasions, and Beaver expects more of the same this season.

“He got pretty mature toward the end of the season last year. You could use him pretty hard and he’d still race good,” says the trainer, who shares ownership on the winner of $235,430 with his mother Johanna Beaver of Delaware, Ohio. “He doesn’t seem like he’ll get tired.”

Regular reinsman Luc Ouellette of Campbellville will pilot Beer Budget from post four in Sunday’s sixth race, facing off against eight other contenders for a berth in the May 27 Gold Final.

Beaver will also harness Smarty Jims in the first C$30,000 elimination on Sunday. After winning three of seven starts, including the first Gold Final of the season, Smarty Jims was retired early from the freshman campaign due to a minor injury. Fully recovered after his eight-month hiatus, Smarty Jims also heads into the sophomore season opener off a pair of qualifiers.

“His first qualifier (May 4) was good,” notes Beaver. “Last week (May 11) the footing wasn’t real good, and I had some impact pads on his front feet so he wasn’t grabbing the track as good as he did the week before. He got off on the front end by himself, was kind of not paying attention around the last turn, and made a break. He trotted good down the lane, but he just kind of lost his focus.”

Smarty Jims and driver Trevor Ritchie of Acton will start from post six in the first elimination Sunday, and Beaver does not expect to see them looking for a spot at the front of the eight-horse field.

“I don’t think he’s at his best on the front end. He doesn’t pay attention when he gets out on his own,” says the horseman, who conditions the Striking Sahbra son for Angie Stiller of Arva, Lynne Foley of Salvisa, Ky., Mimi Lenenberg of Pittsburgh, Pa. and Clare Semer of South Palm Beach, Fla. “He’s very good following.”

Although Smarty Jims and Beer Budget have trained together since they were youngsters, Beaver says the two are tough to compare because of their radically different racing styles. He calls Smarty Jims a speed horse and Beer Budget a stayer.

“Pace will be the difference between the two of them,” explains Beaver. “Beer Budget is probably better when the tempo is pushed hard. He’s more of a stamina horse. Smarty Jims probably has a little more tactical speed.”

Both colts will be looking for a top-two finish to assure their place in the C$130,000 Gold Final on May 27. Only the first two colts under the wire in each elimination will automatically advance, while the four third place finishers will have to rely on the luck of the draw to land one of the last two spots in the lucrative Final.

Smarty Jims and his peers will rev up Mohawk Racetrack’s Sunday evening program at 6:15 p.m., with the other three Gold Eliminations slated for races three, four, and six.

Mohawk Racetrack Gold eliminations
Race 1 — C$30,640
Post – Horse – Sire – Driver – Trainer
1 – Chelemark Porter (Balanced Image) S. Condren – R. O’Neill
2 – Snazzy Hot Rod (Mr Lavec) W. O’Donnell – T. Durand
3 – Telling Tales (Angus Hall) C. Christoforou, Jr. – H. Holland
4 – Prime (Angus Hall) S. Condren – B. Maxwell
5 – Zorgwijk Hollander (Southwind Lustre) M. Saftic – R. MacLean
6 – Smarty Jims (Striking Sahbra) T. Ritchie – C. Beaver
7 – Evidence AS (Angus Hall) T. Smedshammer – T. Smedshammer
8 – Hoopie (San Pellegrino) L. Ouellette – M. Christman

Race 3 – C$31,390
Post – Horse – Sire – Driver – Trainer
1 – Good Knight (Balanced Image) K. Oliver – J. Bax
2 – Tymal Cherub (Mr Lavec) M. Saftic – G. McNair
3 – San Pail (San Pellegrino) W. O’Donnell – R. Hughes
4 – Keystone Empire (Angus Hall) P. Henriksen – P. Henriksen
5 – Ready AS (Striking Sahbra) T. Smedshammer – T. Smedshammer
6 – Cayenne Turbo (Angus Hall) W. O’Donnell – K. Thomas
7 – Lus Reward (Royal Strength) R. Zeron – J. Hill
8 – Flirtin Man (Angus Hall) P. MacDonell – M. Vanderkemp
9 – King Of Song (King Conch) C. Christoforou, Jr. – R. Jeffries

Race 4 – C$31,390
Post – Horse – Sire – Driver – Trainer
1 – Beef Up (Angus Hall) M. Baillargeon – P. Crowe
2 – Celtic Warrior (Angus Hall) S. Condren – B. Maxwell
3 – Baracay (Striking Sahbra) R. Mayotte – M. Guitard
4 – Guilford (Angus Hall) J. Jamieson – P. Henriksen
5 – Frosty The Genius (Balanced Image) P. MacDonell – J. Bax
6 – Tomahawk Hall (Balanced Image) T. Ritchie – H. Lunde
7 – Australian Stock (Angus Hall) C. Christoforou, Jr. – R. Jeffries
8 – Libra Vita (Striking Sahbra) S. Condren – C. Ryder
9 – T Js Mr Lavec (Mr Lavec) T. Henry – W. Henry

Race 6 – C$31,390
Post – Horse – Sire – Driver – Trainer
1 – Relentless Duke (Duke Of York) T. Ritchie – J. Bax
2 – Nasty Dream (Kaisy Dream) M. Saftic – R. MacLean
3 – Hallo (Angus Hall) M. Baillargeon – R. Laarman
4 – Beer Budget (Yankee Paco) L. Ouellette – C. Beaver
5 – Chuckie Lang (Mr Lavec) J. Moiseyev – K. O’Reilly
6 – Think Gold (Mr Lavec) J. Jamieson – C. Jamieson
7 – Arch Madness (Balanced Image) T. Smedshammer – T. Smedshammer
8 – Meadowview Matty (Angus Hall) W. O’Donnell – B. Shakes
9 – Snail Mail (Striking Sahbra) C. Christoforou, Jr. – J. Takter