by Ontario Sire Stakes

Toronto, ON — Georgian Downs showcased the 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Saturday (July 9) evening and Innisfil area fans were treated to impressive performances by the Ontario Sires Stakes program’s future stars.

Three C$70,000 Gold Series divisions went postward and Mass Production kicked things off in the first race with a commanding 1:59 victory for trainer/driver Rick Zeron. The heavy favorites finished 2-3/4 lengths ahead of Lucys Man and Northern Major to earn the Gold Series trophy.

“I was very confident in my colt,” said Zeron after the front-end victory. “He’s been a great colt since the day we put the harness on him. He’s very versatile I can do whatever I like with him; I can go to the front with him, I can race him out of a hole, whatever it is, he just responds so well, he’s like driving a 4-year-old horse.”

The Oakville resident shares ownership of Mass Production with James Walker of Port Perry and Bruno Dipoce. The trio purchased the Muscle Mass son for C$32,000 from last fall’s Canadian Open Yearling Sale and he has already banked C$42,000 in two starts, winning both.

“I’m very pleased with him and I know he will step up in the near future and trot in 1:55,” added Zeron. “I’m quite pleased with him and I’m real happy for my partners Jim Walker and Bruno Dipoce, really happy for them, because, you know, it’s a long winter when you buy your yearlings and you take your time.”

Rose Run Speedster captured the second Gold Series division, with driver Anthony MacDonald employing come-from-behind tactics to land the Windsong Espoir son in the winner’s circle. The colt sprinted down the stretch to a 1-1/2 length victory in 2:00.1. Life Well Lived was second, edging out favorite Uknow What To Do.

“This colt has never had a shortage of speed, and has never had to be shown how to win,” said MacDonald. “I’m very excited to race this colt all summer.”
MacDonald’s wife Amy conditions Rose Run Speedster for the Rose Run Speedster Stable , one of the fractional ownership groups in the couple’s new business venture, thestable.ca.

“Obviously Amy and I are very pleased to see thestable.ca get its first major stakes win,” said the Guelph resident. “Rose Run Speedster was inexpensive in Harrisburg at $14,000, but he has shown just why fractional ownership is so important for horse racing — a large group of owners at the track and in the winner’s circle who would have otherwise been at home tonight.“

Rose Run Speedster also has two starts under his belt, with Saturday’s victory and a fifth in a June 21 overnight event at Mohawk Racetrack giving him an earnings total of $9,700.

The final Gold Series division saw trainer/driver Luc Ouellette go straight to the front from post position one with Speedycrest and sail through fractions of :29, :58.4 and 1:29.4 on the way to a 1:59 victory, six lengths ahead of One Of The Few and favorite Clarion Hall.

“He minded his manners tonight, because he’s shown a couple times that at the gate he could make a mistake, but I guess he’s learning,” said Ouellette. “He went a good mile, we’re real happy with him.”

Owned by Ecuries Richelieu Inc. of Venise-En-Quebec, QC, Speedycrest learned his early lessons under the tutelage of Joliette, QC resident Claude Beausoleil. After a pair of qualifiers and one overnight test at Hippodrome Trois-Rivieres, making a break behind the gate and being pulled up on May 28, scoring a 2:00.3 win on June 14, and recovering from an early break to be second on June 26, Beausoleil sent Speedycrest to Ouellette’s Campbellville, ON facility.

“They’ve been mentioning to me for the last two months how good he’s been training, and they were saying that he would do well in the first Gold, and they were right. They sent him, and he was ready, and he did well in the first Gold,” said Ouellette. “He got here 10 days ago and he’s done nothing but nice things, he’s one of those horses that whatever you want to do, he’s game for. I think he’s just learning all the time and good experiences will lead to better things.”

Angus Hall son Speedycrest and his peers will make their second Gold Series start at Mohawk Racetrack on July 25.