from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — It certainly proved a worthwhile trip from Bowmanville to Mohawk Racetrack Thursday night (June 19) for trainer/owner Dave Snowden. He had a pair of his homebred fillies competing in two of the seven $16,560 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions for 3-year-old pacing fillies and they finished first and second in their respective events, the first of the season for this group.

Kiss Me Or Not was his winner in the second test which saw Gram Rules overtaking Mary Michelle before the :27.1 first quarter. Eagle Molly rushed up to take over control by the :56.2 half and then Galarina came up to challenge and was head to head with the leader by the 1:24.3 third panel.

Paul MacDonell aboard Kiss Me Or Not followed Galarina’s flow and popped off the cover down the lane and drew off to win handily in 1:53.3. Second went to Wishful Luck followed by Always Sunday.

It was the first win of the season for the Mach Three filly owned and trained by breeder Snowden. The time represented a new life best for Kiss Me Or Not whose dam, the $198,990 winner Kissing Rain, was an OSS winner as well for Snowden.

MacDonell employed different tactics with Kiss Me Or Not’s stablemate An Angel Shes Not In the fifth division where Premio Loco was on top first and she paced through the opening quarter in :27.1. MacDonell had An Angel Shes Not up to challenge from third and she took over by the :56 half. She cruised by the three-quarters in 1:25.1 but was collared in the stretch by favorite Bet Ya and Jack Moiseyev who hit the wire first in 1:53.2. An Angel Shes Not was a strong second while Can Art took third.

It was the third straight win for Bet Ya, owned by Moiseyev’s fiancee Joanne Colville and breeder Nancy MacNiven. Colville’s father Frank trains the daughter of Jereme’s Jet who was unraced last year at two.

The first division saw favorite Delirium come through for her backers as she grabbed the lead by the opening quarter in :26.4, was at the half in :56, the three-quarters in 1:24.1 and was home first in 1:52.3 over Regally Ready and Stellllllla.

Sylvain Filion was up behind the Artistic Fella daughter for trainer Marcel Barrieau and owner/breeder Hudson Standardbreds. It was the filly’s first win in two tries this year.

The third split saw favorite Her Own Land quickest off the gate to grab control for James MacDonald and head the fillies past the opening marker in :26.3. She continued to control the tempo past the :56.2 half and 1:24.3 third quarter and could not be caught down the lane as she hit the wire first in 1:54. Shellyssilvermoon closed well to take second while Regil Meg was third.

Dave Menary trains the winner, a daughter of Blissfull Hall owned by Hutt Racing Stable. This was her first win in five starts in 2014 and shaved several seconds off her previous life best time.

Played By Anangel was the pacesetter in the fourth division, getting the girls by the first quarter in :27.2, the half in :57.3 and the three-quarters in 1:26.1. Down the stretch she had several challengers coming with Brescia Seelster closing fastest of all to win in 1:53.4 over Seawind Ginger. Played By Anangel held for third.

Trainer Dave Keyes shares ownership of the Camluck daughter with dad Norm. It was Brescia Seelster’s first win of her sophomore campaign and gave her a new life best.

The sixth test went to Goldies Mach, who held on after leading most of the race to win in 1:53.3 over Exhilarated and Big Treat. It was the second straight win for the Mach Three daughter trained by Menary for breeder Larry Pollard.

The seventh and final division also proved the fastest of the OSS splits as favorite Ignite The Night won by open lengths in 1:52.2 off fractions of :27.3, :55.4 and 1:24.2. Mea Lilley Mark was second followed by A Round N About.

It was the fourth win in 19 starts this year for the Badlands Hanover miss owned by breeder Ratchford Stable and trained by Wayne McGean.

The next test for this group will be back at Mohawk on July 25 while their Gold counterparts kick off their season on June 23 at the Campbellville oval. Full results from Thursday night’s card are available through this link.