by Sandra Snyder

Campbellville, ON — Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Mohawk Racetrack Saturday evening with the three-year-old trotting colts making their 2004 debut in a trio of C$35,556 Gold Series eliminations.

Six of last season’s top 10 provincial money earners will line up behind the gate at the Campbellville oval on Saturday, including a colt trained by local horseman Michael Guitard. Guitard will send Armbro Balance and stablemate Armbro Believe into battle for Haryott Stables Inc. of Etobicoke, and the partners are hoping both colts will mature into solid OSS contenders this season.

“It’s still early yet, but time will tell. Staying sound is the key,” says Guitard. “They go so fast now at two, it’s pretty hard for them to come back at three.”

Armbro Balance had a successful freshman campaign that saw him earn $136,034 and post three wins and three seconds in 12 starts. The Balanced Image son wrapped up his two-year-old season on a high note, capturing a Canadian Breeders Championship elimination and finishing second in that Final and the OSS Super Final. He heads into Saturday’s contest off a victory in an April 23 qualifier at Mohawk and Guitard is hoping the big colt can pick up where he left off.

“He qualified okay, the track wasn’t very good that day,” notes the Campbellville resident. “He’s a pretty nice horse, a pretty smart horse.”

Paul MacDonell will steer Armbro Balance on Saturday from post four in the first race, facing off against five other Ontario Sires Stakes veterans and a trio of newcomers to the provincial program, worth a total of C$20 million again this season.

One race later Guitard will handle the lines himself behind Armbro Believe, who is just regaining his fitness after being gelded in early April.

“Hopefully that will change things for him. He has enough talent to be a good OSS horse, but any little thing would bother him and he’d make a break,” explains the veteran horseman. “I’m going to drive him myself for a couple of starts and see if I can keep him trotting.”

Armbro Believe prepped for Saturday’s event with a May 7 qualifier and although he finished well off the 1:56³ pace, Guitard was pleased with the Angus Hall son’s effort.

“He qualified good. He didn’t go all that fast, but he was a little short. He hadn’t trained much in a month,” says Guitard, who will be keeping his eye on last season’s Canadian Breeders Championship winner Grand Sovereign (post eight) from post two in the second elimination.

To advance to the C$130,000 Gold Final on May 23, Guitard’s colts and their peers will need to finish in the top three or be the lucky fourth place finisher who draws into the lucrative event.

The sophomore trotting colts will raise the curtain on Mohawk Racetrack’s Saturday evening program at 7:40 p.m., with the other two eliminations going postward as races two and four.

Race 1 — C$35,556

1 – Wake Up And Drive (Angus Hall) T. Strauss T. Henry

2 – Coventry (Mr Lavec) D. Ackerman D. Ackerman

3 – Erics Image (Balanced Image) Ra. Waples J. Stutzman

4 – Armbro Balance (Balanced Image) P. MacDonell M. Guitard

5 – Angus Scot (Angus Hall) D. Wall P. Shakes

6 – Valvec (Mr Lavec) M. Baillargeon S. McEneny

7 – Splendid Les (Angus Hall) D. Wall J. Bax

8 – Lucky George (Angus Hall) L. MacArthur S. Acton

9 – Darkon Crown (Wesgate Crown) R. Zeron R. Zeron

1 – Eatonmeadow Clyde (Yentls Image) S. Condren L. Duncan

2 – Armbro Believe (Angus Hall) M. Guitard M. Guitard

3 – Disturbed (Angus Hall) P. MacDonell B. Shakes

4 – Crescent Hall (Angus Hall) J. McClure R. Wedow

5 – Colombe Dream (Fill V) R. Zeron C. Herserant

6 – Kings Ransom (King Conch) M. Saftic S. Kerwood

7 – Royal Kent (Royal Strength) T.B.A. F. Goulet

8 – Grand Sovereign (Royal Strength) M. Saftic B. Thorne

1 – Witness Perfection (San Pellegrino) T. Ritchie J. Raymer

2 – Onondaga Kid (Royal Ballad) S. Condren P. Miller

3 – Twisted Image (Balanced Image) L. Ouellette K. Milton

4 – Odee Scoot (Super Pleasure) W. Henry R. Henry

5 – Habanero Hanover (Angus Hall) R. Zeron J. Morrissey

6 – Armbro Bjorn (King Conch) D. Wall J. Bax

7 – Flight Dream (Fill V) R. Zeron C. Herserant

8 – Brethors Legacy (Royal Strength) M. Saftic B. Thorne

9 – Trudel (Mr Lavec) J. Jamieson L. Brown