from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Gloucester, ON — After two weeks spent south of the border taking on the best 3-year-old pacing colts in North America, Jimmy Freight returned to the Ontario Sires Stakes program on Sunday (July 22) and delivered his third straight commanding Gold Series victory, circling the Rideau Carleton Raceway oval in 1:50.3.

Driver Louis Philippe Roy sent Jimmy Freight directly to the front from post two and the heavy favorite cruised through fractions of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:23.3 on his way to the 2-3/4 length victory. Sharp Action Money finished second and JM Jack Of Hearts was four more lengths back in third.

“Louis turned around a few times to make sure he was having good control of this race, and it worked out perfect,” said trainer Richard Moreau.

Moreau conditions Jimmy Freight for Adriano Sorella. Through 10 starts this season the Sportswriter son has posted six wins, one second and two thirds, banking $211,332. Prior to Sunday’s start he had been in New Jersey competing in the Meadowlands Pace where he finished third in his July 7 elimination and fourth in the July 14 final.

“I guess he has to get used to travel now,” said the trainer with a chuckle. “I think we have Mohawk next, for another Gold (Aug. 4), and then going back to the States on the 11th. It’s (the Carl Milstein Memorial) an eight horse field and they go for $400,000 US.”

Sunday’s victory made Jimmy Freight the fastest sophomore pacing colt to tour Rideau Carleton Raceway and was just one-fifth of a second shy of the 1:50.2 3-year-old track record set by Camluck gelding Michael’s Power in a Gold final on Aug. 26, 2012.

The second $73,264 Gold division was captured by The Downtown Bus, who led the field through fractions of :26.2, :55.2 and 1:23.2, fighting off challenges from Pretty Handsome and favorite St Lads Neptune before pacing away in the stretch to a 2-3/4 length victory in 1:51.1. Taste Of History and Grantmeawish closed well to secure second and third.

“He raced great. I used him up a couple of times and he still held them off,” said driver Doug McNair. “It was a huge effort tonight.”

McNair piloted The Downtown Bus to his first-ever Ontario Sires Stakes win for trainer Jeff Gillis and Ellen Ott. Gillis and Ott also bred the son of Mach Three. In 14 sophomore starts The Downtown Bus now has five wins, two seconds and four thirds for earnings of $79,231.