by Greg Gangle, WEG media

Toronto, ON — Eight C$300,000 Ontario Sire Stakes Super Finals took place Saturday night (Nov. 13) at Woodbine, with the races featuring the province’s best pacers and trotters of their divisions. Among the winners was the Jugette and Fan Hanover champion, Western Silk, who took the 3-year-old filly pace division title with a hard-fought 1:50.4 victory.

“She’s just been unbelievable this year,” said trainer Casie Coleman in the winner’s circle. “To win over $1 million in a single season is pretty special and she also won the Jugette and Fan Hanover. It was a tight finish, that other filly that Jody (Jamieson–Preppy Party Girl) was driving is also a really nice filly, very tough.”

Listed below are the winners followed with a brief recap of each event.

Race 3–2-year-old filly trot–Oh Sweet Baby–1:56.3
LA Freeway (Paul MacDonell) controlled the pace from post eight, posting first quarter speed of :27.4. She then went unchallenged down the backstretch and posted middle-half speed of :58 and 1:27.3. Oh Sweet Baby (Mario Baillargeon) tipped to the outside past the half and attacked L A Freeway around the final turn with Peach Martini (Rick Zeron) tracking her. Down the stretch, L A Freeway faded as Oh Sweet Baby struck the lead and held off a late challenge from Peach Martini to stop the clock in 1:56.2 for trainer Ben Baillargeon and owner Richard Berthiaume.

“I think the big question with her was the foot issue,” Mario Baillargeon commented in the winner’s circle. “She had a real bad puss pocket for the last few months and she finally came sound. She’s at where we thought she would be all year. The pace wasn’t real fast so I decided to move out slowly. I knew Rick (Zeron, driver of Peach Martini) was behind me and I thought his filly was the one to beat. Rick’s filly trotted strong right through the wire with me.”

Oh Sweet Baby, a daughter of Angus Hall, lifted her freshman earnings to C$243,530 and earned a career best record in the event. She paid $13.50 for the win.

Race 4–2-year-old filly pace–Modern Connection–1:52.1
Bunkhouse Babe (Jody Jamieson) blasted off the gate to take command of her rivals, flashing first quarter speed of :27.1. That lead would not last long as Stonebridge Damsel (Jack Moiseyev) was on the move and took over command but Lauren rallied past her to take the lead past the half in :56.2. Post time favorite Modern Connection (Mark MacDonald) committed first-over and the pair were strides apart past three-quarters in 1:24.2. With a sixteenth of a mile to go, Modern Connection took command and held off a late challenge from Monkey On My Wheel (Rick Zeron) to stop the clock in 1:52.1 with Shipps Xanadu (Randy Waples) third.

“She’s a great filly and very easy to drive. The connections have done a great job with her and I’m really lucky to pick up a late drive so late in the year,” MacDonald said in the winner’s circle. “As long as you don’t burn her up too early she’s fine because she was one big burst of speed.”

Modern Connection, a daughter of Modern Art, now has freshman earnings of C$456,797 for trainer Joe Seekman and owners Yousif Yousif and Ameer Najor. She paid $3.40 as the bettor’s choice.

Race 5–2-year-old colt trot–Daylon Magician–1:55.3
Buckhams Bay (Jacques Hebert) took command before the first turn from post four but allowed Imperial Count (Steve Condren) to strike the lead past the opening panel in :27.2. Sim Brown (Randy Waples) was still on the outside and was allowed to make the front before the half in :56.4. Buckhams Bay then had to commit first over around the final turn and could not reach Sim Brown past three-quarters in 1:26.4. Down the stretch, Sim Brown was heavily called upon but could not fend off a late challenge from Daylon Magician in the final strides. Imperial Count finished third with Air Stewart (Mario Baillargeon) fourth.

“I took him down to Jack (Moiseyev) and he trained him last week and we got things set up right,” David Lemon commented following the race.

Daylon Magician, a son of Kadabra, now has freshman earnings of C$225,300 for breeder/owner/trainer David Lemon.

Race 6–2-year-old colt pace–Prodigal Seelster–1:51.3
Prodigal Seelster (Randy Waples) finally cleared past the opening quarter in :26.1 and never looked back as he posted middle-half speed of :54.2 and 1:24 en route to stopping the clock in a blazing 1:51.3 for trainer David Menary. Watermelonwine (Paul MacDonell), another entry from Menary, came from off the pace to finish second with Mach Of Ballykeel third.

“The first quarter of :26.1 set up the race to go fast. I got really lucky last week when Dave (Menary) asked me to school him because they needed a tightener for him and the plan was to have Tim (Tetrick) come up to drive him. It turned out that Tim couldn’t come so David called me a few days later and asked me to drive him so I jumped at the chance. I had so much confidence in this horse tonight and I wanted to give him a clear path and give him a good shot,” Waples commented.

Prodigal Seelster, a son of Camluck, lifted his freshman earnings to C$479,455 for owners Larry Menary, Denis Breton, Ken Ewen and Double Or Nothing Stable.

Race 7–3-year-old colt pace–Mach Dreamer–1:50.2
Dalhousie Dave (Jody Jamieson) was the quickest off the gate, passing the opening quarter in :27.2 with Big Bay Point (Mario Baillargeon) positioned second. As the field marched towards the half, Big Bay Point pocket pulled and was sent to command but that lead would not last long as Twin B Warrior (Randy Waples) was on the move and he cleared to the lead past the half in :55.2. Around the final turn, Dalhousie Dave had to commit first-over with Mach Dreamer (Mark MacDonald) behind him. Down the stretch, Twin B Warrior was still in command but it was Mach Dreamer getting up in the final strides to stop the clock in 1:50.2 for trainer Murray Brethour and owner Stephen Scarff. Dalhousie Dave stayed for third over Broadies Song (Scott Zeron).

“It was an exciting race to watch, everyone was pressing on the gas early to get position and it set up for a great finish,” MacDonald said. “I was lucky to get second-over cover and get towed into the race. I really didn’t think I was going to be able to catch Randy (Waples, driver of Twin B Warrior), he’s got a really nice horse and had the jump on me.”

Mach Dreamer, a son of Mach Three, lifted his career earnings to C$474,927. He paid $7.00 for the victory.

Race 8–3-year-old filly trot–Random Destiny–1:55
Emmylou Who (Lyle MacArthur) was sent to the front and posted first quarter speed of :27.3. As the field marched towards the half, Random Destiny (Riina Rekila) committed first-over and the pair of horses were strides apart past the half in :58.1 and three-quarters in 1:26.1. Late in the mile it was Random Destiny surviving a tough trip to post the victory over Emmylou Who with Poof She’s Gone third. Random Destiny stopped the clock in 1:55 for owner Overseas Farm.

“My horse was feeling very strong around the last turn and I was just hoping that no other horse was going to come from off the pace. She’s in really good shape and I didn’t kick the ear plugs,” Rekila said after the race.

The daughter of Ken Warkentin lifted her career earnings to C$691,223 and paid $4.80 for the victory.

Race 9–3-year-old colt trot–Text Me–1:54.4
Driver Randy Waples sent Text Me to the front and never looked back as he guided the son of Kadabra to victory for trainer Bob McIntosh. Waples took control of the lead before the first turn and set fractions of :27.2, :57.4 and 1:26.4 before Text Me sprinted home to win in 1:54.4. Grumpy Jake (Steve Condren) came from off the pace to finish second with pocket-sitter Windsun Galaxie (Paul MacDonell) third.

“I spoke with Bob (McIntosh) before the race and he told me that Text Me is fresh and ready to go. When Bob tells you that, you know they’re ready to go. It’s a great feeling when you’re going onto the track,” Waples commented following the race. “Usually when he gets on the lead he relaxed but tonight he wanted to keep going and that’s usually not his style.”

Text Me now has career earnings of C$931,853 for McIntosh and partners Dave Boyle and CSX Stables.

Race 10–3-year-old filly pace–Western Silk–1:50.4
Western Silk got up in the final strides to take Saturday night’s final OSS Super Final for trainer Casie Coleman and driver Mark MacDonald. Coleman’s other entry, Bay Girl (Phil Hudon), blasted to the lead and posted first quarter speed of :26.3 with Tiz To Dream (Doug McNair) positioned second. As the fillies headed towards the half, Preppy Party Girl (Jody Jamieson) was sent to the front and she cleared before the half in :55.1. Around the final turn, MacDonald called upon his charge and Western Silk committed first over and she was strides apart from pacesetter Preppy Party Girl at the three-quarters in 1:23.1. Down the stretch the fillies were noses apart but it was Western Silk getting up in the final strides to win by a head with Tiz To Dream finishing third.

The daughter of Western Terror now has over C$1 million earned this season and C$1.4 million lifetime. She paid $2.70 for the win.