from Ontario Sire Stakes

Toronto, ON — Balmy temperatures set the stage for fast miles at Woodbine Mohawk Park during the Campbellville oval’s Civic Holiday celebration Saturday night (Aug. 4), and none of them were faster than the 1:48.3 clocked by Jimmy Freight in his fourth straight Gold Series victory.

Firing away from post six in the second C$96,400 Gold division, Jimmy Freight took command before the :26.1 quarter and driver Louis Philippe Roy opted to maintain the sharp pace through a :54.1 half and 1:21.3 three-quarters. Turning for home just over two lengths on top, Jimmy Freight had opened up a 3-3/4 length margin on pocket-sitter Backstreet Shadow by the 1:48.3 finish. The Downtown Bus was four more lengths back in third.

“The only thing I didn’t like with Backstreet Shadow, Doug’s (McNair) horse, being on my back is that that horse can be really quick,” said Roy to Woodbine Mohawk Park’s Jason Portuondo in the winner’s circle. “So I just wanted to make sure we didn’t turn it into a sprint for the last quarter, because I think that horse, for a quarter or an eighth, he can be as fast as Jimmy. The only thing, I don’t think for now he can handle, he can’t carry that speed.

“All of these horses, most of them can come a 26 second last quarter, just the same as Jimmy, so if he is too far (back) going into the last turn, I think that is the only way he can get beat,” the reinsman added.

Jimmy Freight will make his next start against some of the top colts in North America in the Carl Milstein Memorial and the Sportswriter son will be looking to improve on the fourth place finish he posted in the July 14 Meadowlands Pace.

“Jimmy is leaving Tuesday morning, going to Andrew Harris for the Carl Milstein Memorial at Northfield Park Saturday,” said trainer Richard Moreau. “We are hoping for a good post, fingers crossed.”

Adriano Sorella owns Jimmy Freight, who has posted seven wins, one second, two thirds and one fourth in 11 starts this season, banking C$306,639. With his flawless record of four wins in four Gold Series starts the colt also has a commanding 200 points in the division standings.

The first Gold division was captured by St Lads Neptune, making his first visit to the winner’s circle since the season opener at Flamboro Downs on May 20.

Starting from post five, St Lads Neptune and driver Jody Jamieson landed in third behind early pacesetter When You Dance. The pair remained on the rail through the :28.2 quarter, :56 half and 1:23 three-quarters, but when space opened up behind the duelling leaders in the stretch Jamieson fired the fan favourite into an open lane and St Lads Neptune sprinted to a 1-1/2 length victory in a personal best 1:50.3. Yacht Seelster finished second and When You Dance rounded out the top three.

“I’m ecstatic,” said driver Jamieson, who shares ownership of St Lads Neptune with his father Carl Jamieson of Rockwood and Menary Racing Inc. of Rockton, Ontario. “He responded well after a tough trip to, and at, Ottawa two weeks ago (July 22) — he scoped sick with a guttural pouch infection and pimples and the lot. After being treated with antibiotics for over a week we couldn’t train him like we would have normally, so we were concerned about his fitness.

“That’s one of the reasons I was hesitant to move him tonight, even as the betting favourite,” the Moffat resident continued. “Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good, and lately I’ve need to be quite lucky.”

The win brings the Mach Three son’s sophomore record to two wins and three seconds in eight starts for earnings of C$149,020. With a total of 130 Gold Series points, St Lads Neptune sits second in the division standings. The top 10 point earners following the fifth Gold leg, at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Sept. 1, will advance to the season ending Super final.