by Greg Blanchard, WEG Media

Campbellville, ON — Artimittateslife and Windsong Eva both captured their respective divisions of the Trillium Series for 3-year-old filly pacers on Monday night (September 29) at Mohawk Racetrack.

Artimittateslife (#5) held off Unique Legacy by a half-length in their Trillium division.

Artimittateslife made a triumphant return to Ontario with a sharp 1:51.3 score in the opening C$36,784 division for driver Steve Condren. The daughter of Art Major-Oven Mitt, who has been a dominant force on the New York Sires Stakes scene this season, was able to shake through between horses late and haul down Unique Legacy who had taken the lead turning for home. Longshot Call Me Yours rallied to pick up third.

It was the ninth win this season in 14 starts for Artimittateslife who was sent off as the second choice in the wagering. The victory increased her seasonal earnings to a hefty $479,139 for owners Bob Young, Paul Gazzola and Brian Barton. Young is also the breeder and trainer.

In the second C$36,154 split, Windsong Eva let things settle early from post one before moving to the front in the second quarter for driver Luc Ouellette. Once on top, the daughter of Rambaran-Surviving Trouble was able to control the tempo and held off a determined first-over bid from A Fiesty Affair with Go Get Her finishing a close third in the 1:53.2 effort.

It was the second straight and third overall win this season in 19 outings for Windsong Eva who is owned by John Craig along with trainer Bill Cass. The victory improved her seasonal earnings to $80,765.

St Lads Popcorn, Cheap Motel capture OSS Gold elims

St Lads Popcorn continued her winning ways as the heavy favorite while Cheap Motel posted an upset in a pair of C$40,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold eliminations for 2-year-old filly pacers at Mohawk Racetrack.

In the opening split, Cheap Motel took advantage of a break in stride at the top of the stretch by heavily favored Shacked Up to score an off-the-pace victory for driver Randy Waples in 1:53.3. The daughter of Grinfromeartoear-Media Queen rallied from seventh at the opening quarter to turn back another longshot, Icey Breeze, with Shacked Up recovering well to pick up the show spot.

Cheap Motel returned $24.00 for the victory. It was the second win in six tries this season for the Rod Boyd trainee and increased her purse earnings to $37,564 for Bulletproof Enterprises.

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St Lads Popcorn was a 1:52.2 winner in her OSS Gold elimination.

The second elimination went to the talented St Lads Popcorn as expected, however the filly was pushed to the limit in the 1:52.2 win for driver Jason Brewer. Northern Duchess chased her right to the finish and ended up just a half-length back at the end with Shellace landing the show spot.

The winner returned a very popular $2.70. The daughter of Twin B Champ-Hot Butter miss was just a $5,000 yearling purchase at last Fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale and boosted her earnings to $304,773 for owner Jack Darling, who also does the training. It was her seventh win of the campaign in just nine outings.

The C$120,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final will go postward next Monday night at Mohawk. Here is a look at the field in post position order: 1. Arts Star, 2. Shellace, 3. Terroronthebeach, 4. Intrepid Breeze, 5. Shacked Up, 6. Rose Seelster, 7. Icey Breeze, 8. Cheap Motel, 9. St Lads Popcorn, and 10. Northern Duchess.