from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Elora, ON — Three C$70,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions for 3-year-old pacing colts were part of the Battle of Waterloo undercard Monday (Aug. 4) at Grand River Raceway and the boys put on a show for the crowd, including establishing a track record.

In the first test, reduced to five with the scratch of Boomboom Ballykeel, there was some concern when heavy favorite Jet Airway hung back and was a gapped off fourth early as Bugger Bruiser took the field by the opening quarater in :27.1 and the half in :55.1. That was soon assuaged when Randy Waples pulled Jet Airway out from fourth just past that point and was closing on the leader at the 1:23 third panel.

The pair were nose and nose around the final turn and Jet Airway took over to win by open lengths in 1:51.1, a new track record for 3-year-old pacing colts. Bugger Bruiser held for second while Sword Of The Spirit was third.

It was the second straight OSS Gold victory for the son of Jereme’s Jet trained by Tony Alagna for the Erv Miller Stable, Tangie Massey, Paul Sunderhaus and Larry Agle. Jet Airway now has six wins in 11 starts this year for C$199,000 earned.

The track was drenched with rain just after that division, and rated good by the time the second split went behind the gate. Hunch Man cleared the front for Mike Saftic but was covered up by Play It Again Sam at the opening quarter in :27.1. Weatherly came up to challenge but Play It Again Sam repelled that at the half in :55.4.

Speckled Door came three wide as they hit the three-quarters in 1:23.4. That pair battled down the stretch but Play It Again Sam held on by a narrow margin in 1:53.1. Falcon Justice won the photo for third over Hunch Man.

It was the second win in 11 2014 starts for Play It Again Sam, driven by James MacDoanld, who moments before the race had defeated his brother Anthony in the annual bouncy pony stakes at the Elora, Ontario oval. Owned by Eric Whebby and RG McGroup Ltd., the Shadow Play colt is trained by Dr. Ian Moore.

By the time the final division went postward the track had been upgraded once more to fast. It was Moore’s Silverhill Shadow with the early lead in that test, hitting the opening marker in :27.3, the half in :56.4 and the three-quarters in 1:25.1. He could not be caught through the stretch, winning comfortably for Chris Christoforou in 1:53.2 over Three Of Clubs and Victor Bayama.

Moore trains the Shadow Play colt for owner/breeder Silverhill Tignish. Silverhill Shadow’s summary now reads 4-4-2 in 13 starts this year for C$189,000 in earnings.

The next Gold event for this group will take place on Sept. 26 at Mohawk. To view the full results from Monday’s program, click here.