by Karen Briggs, WEG media

Toronto, ON — He’s been on shore leave for the past month, but Warp Speed is back on duty and ready to engage in the C$20,000 first leg of the Ontario Boys Pacing Series, for Ontario-sired 4-year-olds, on Monday night, February 16, at Woodbine.

It’s appropriate, too, that Monday is Family Day in Ontario, because the Mach Three gelding, who has been rated the 7-5 favorite in the morning line, is a homebred sent out by the Southside CDN Farms of Kemptville, Ontario. Ben Wallace has been training Warp Speed since November of 2008, and has already enjoyed considerable success with him, including victories in both the opening and second legs of the Valedictory Series in December. Warp Speed narrowly missed the series sweep when he was bested at the wire by P H Bestman in the C$47,800 final.

Warp Speed will be leaving from post position five in a short field of eight colts and geldings in the first of two splits for the Ontario Boys opener (race two, post time 7:41 p.m.). Regular pilot Mario Baillargeon will be in the bike.

In the second of the two divisions, the favorite also occupies post position five. He’s Marquis Player, a son of Astreos who captured the C$51,300 final of the Ontario Sired Autumn Series at Woodbine back in November, as well as a leg of the Valedictory the following month, and is rated at 5-2. Like Warp Speed, he’s a homebred, racing for Paul Ministrelli of Brighton, Michigan, and trained by Gregg McNair.

Marquis Player will be up against rival Dinner Guest (trained by Chad Schmiedge) as well as Windsun Twister (Al Hamilton), which should make this division an interesting contest. It’s race four, post time 8:24 p.m.