from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — Mohawk Racetrack fans got their first look at Ontario’s top 2-year-old trotting colts on Monday evening (July 25) and went home impressed with the winners of all three $53,200 Gold Series divisions.

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Anthony MacDonald piloted Rose Run Speedster to his second straight Gold Series win in 1:59 at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday.

Rose Run Speedster led things off with a come-from-behind effort in the first division to garner his second straight Gold Series trophy. In rein to Anthony MacDonald, the fan favorite settled in third from post four and watched while Speedycrest rang up fractions of :28.2, 1:00.1 and 1:30.2. Turning for home a sliver of racetrack opened up in front of Rose Run Speedster and MacDonald wasted no time in taking advantage, firing the colt down the stretch to a half-length victory in 1:59. Pocket-sitter Life Well Lived was second while Tycoon Seelster and Amanforallseasons dead-heated for third.

“’I’m never really worried when it comes to this colt, where he’s sitting. He’s a really, really fast colt,” said MacDonald from the winner’s circle. “I figured if I get out and I stayed close to them that they weren’t going to be able to out-trot him. He raced really well right through the wire.”

The driver and his wife, trainer Amy MacDonald, along with their partner Rene Allard, purchased Rose Run Speedster from the 2015 Standardbred Horse Sale for $14,000. The couple then offered shares of the Windsong Espoir-Padam Hall colt for sale through their fractional ownership enterprise, TheStable.ca. Five additional owners bought shares of the colt, creating the Rose Run Speedster Stable.

“What this horse has accomplished is unexpected, but the timing couldn’t be better. He has made the unlikely a reality and shown the industry how fractional ownership can, and will, grow our fan base,” said MacDonald. “We only have one Rose Run Speedster, but a barn full of happy owners, and that’s really what it’s all about.”

With two Gold Series wins and one overnight victory under his belt, Rose Run Speedster will make his next start in the Aug. 4 Gold event at Rideau Carleton Raceway. Fans hoping to see the talented young trotter outside the Ontario Sires Stakes program will have to be patient as he does not have any additional stakes engagements on his schedule this season.

“He’s built like a 3-year-old and he’s fast. He has all the tools to come back like a beast next year if we put him away happy and healthy,” said MacDonald about the colt’s future prospects.

In the second division Manssive and driver Corey Callahan left smartly from post five, reaching the quarter in :28.4, and then yielded to fan favorites Mass Production and Rick Zeron. The favorites led the field through a :58.2 half and 1:29.2 three-quarters, but as the colts straightened out for the stretch drive Callahan shifted Manssive into another gear. The Muscle Mass-Smooth And Sassy son reeled in Mass Production by a half-length, hitting the wire in a personal best 1:58.4. Dream Massive rounded out the top three.

“He’s a really nice colt,” said trainer Howard Okusko Jr. from the winner’s circle. “I mean he’s probably the only one in the race that had an open bridle on tonight. He does everything right, anything you ask him. I think he’ll just keep getting better.”

Okusko conditions Manssive for M and L of Delaware LLC. The colt, bred by Dr. David Goodrow, was a $23,000 purchase from the Standardbred Horse Sale and now has two wins, one second and earnings of $28,599 on his resume after four starts.

The final Gold Series division went to Clarion Hall, who popped out of the pocket from behind Reach The Peak and accelerated down the stretch to a half-length victory in 1:58.3. Noble Prize closed hard to be second while pacesetter Reach The Peak held on for third.

James MacDonald was a last minute understudy for scheduled driver Jody Jamieson, but he was familiar with the Windsong Espoir-Canland Hall colt, having driven him to a third place result in the July 9 Gold Series opener at Georgian Downs.

“Last start, he was a little green. I moved him first up and he kind of was lost and didn’t really know what to do, and today he was a lot better on a helmet. When he caught the helmet in the last turn he kind of swelled up a bit,” said MacDonald. “I didn’t push him too hard because he was a little bumpy, but he seems to have lots of go.”

Rene Allard conditions Clarion Hall for his partners Yves Sarrazin and Earl Hill Jr. The colt, who is a half-brother to $1.4 million winner Cantab Hall, was a $16,000 purchase from the Blooded Horse Sale last fall. In three starts he now has one win and two thirds for earnings of $34,278.

The 2-year-old trotting colts make their third Gold Series start at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Aug. 4 and then return to Mohawk for their fourth skirmish on Aug. 12.