Milton, ON — Trainer Nick Galluci picked up his first Ontario Sires Stakes win of 2023 when Millar Farms homebred Chain Gang got up late to win race six, the second C$103,100 OSS Gold division for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings Monday night (July 10) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Chain Gang paced by everyone to stop the clock in 1:53.3 and win by a neck. New Image Media photo.

Leaving from post three James MacDonald positioned the Bettor’s Delight colt off the pace in fifth position through the half as Louis-Phillipe Roy and Control The Piper built up a three-length lead in :28.2 and :57.2.

Entering the stretch Control The Piper faded, and Cowboy Cargo with Doug McNair driving found racing room to briefly get in front before Chain Gang paced by everyone to stop the clock in 1:53.3 and win by a neck. Runner-up Cowboy Cargo was also making his first career start after a pair of qualifiers at the Meadowlands. Crush Kill Destroy finished in the show position with Tyler Borth driving.

“He’s the fastest colt I am training this year,” said Gallucci. “He just seems to pick it up every week. Nice to see him sit behind horses and come off a cover tonight. He’s just done everything exceptional so far.”

The victory came in Chain Gang’s pari-mutuel debut, but Gallucci was confident the horse was ready to race, and the betting public agreed by making him a 3-5 favorite.

“I try not to race my babies before the first Sires Stakes unless I am trying to place them to see if they’re going to be a (Gold) or a Grassroots horse,” said Gallucci. “He showed enough in his qualifiers that I was quite comfortable with his fitness going into the Gold.”

Chain Gang has natural speed that will make him competitive in the Gold ranks of the OSS, and MacDonald will continue to teach the horse how to develop as a racehorse each time he sits behind him.

“I know the speed will come, and I know the speed is there, so it’s just doing it the right way and he did it the right way tonight,” said MacDonald. “You don’t want to be a one trick pony. I think it was a great start for him. I think down the road you’ll see him on the lead sometime, but tonight we’re just happy with the (win).”

In race four, the first OSS Gold division of the evening T H McMurry emerged victorious.

Leaving from post eight, McNair was content to let Chivalry Seelster and Jody Jamieson lead the field through an opening quarter of :27.3. McNair and the son of McWicked cleared to the front in the second panel, and would stay there the rest of the way to win by a length over Best Night Ever (Betterthancheddar). Rounding out the podium was 3-5 favorite Mirage Hanover who made a break just after leaving the gate, but fought back gamely. The final time was 1:51.4.

The performance was a welcome sight for trainer Dave Menary, as T H McMurry had made a break in his debut start.

“When the gate opened last week, my heart just dropped, I never saw the horse put a ripple in anywhere,” said Menary. “He came a real good back half, it was just a fluke thing, and we treated it as a fluke thing, and made a couple minor adjustments and are happy to be standing here.”

Menary, who trains the colt for owners Jeffery Taylor, Siobhan Andrusek, and Graeme Mitchell, was effusive with praise for Taylor’s role in the colt’s development.

“Jeff picked the colt out and trained him down in Ottawa,” said Menary. “We’ve had him about five weeks, and he came pre-made. We are blessed to have the colt come in the barn, and I appreciate the opportunity. He baked the cake, I just put the icing on it, so I give Jeff all the credit.”

Taylor was on-site at Woodbine Mohawk Park to see his $22,000 yearling pick up a C$51,550 winner’s check.

“Around February we figured he was going to be a pretty nice colt,” said Taylor. “We didn’t want to get too presumptuous or anything, but when he did everything we asked we figured it was time to send him up here and we trust him with Dave and we couldn’t be happier.”