by Greg Blanchard, media/communications, Woodbine Entertainment Group

Campbellville, ON — This year’s group of 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers in the Ontario Sires Stakes is shaping up as one of the most talented and competitive in recent memory.

Several colts have emerged from relative obscurity and one of them, Windsun Ben, turned in an eye-catching qualifying win this morning (May 18) at Mohawk Racetrack.

With Steve Condren at the controls, the strapping son of Apaches Fame-Over Charge stopped the clock in 1:53.1 with an effortless looking final quarter of :26.2.

“The first thing Steve said to me when he got off the bike was that he couldn’t believe the colt was going that fast in the final quarter,” remarked trainer Bob Young. “For a big colt, he covers the ground so easily, it’s amazing. He is tremendously light on his feet and you barely hear him hitting the track.”

Windsun Ben, who swept the Ontario Sires Autumn Series in his final three starts of last season at Woodbine, was a big colt to begin with but has grown substantially in the off season.

“He’s grown a good four inches and put on about 150 pounds,” reported Young. “He is a very big, strong colt and he has a particularly powerful back end which I think he gets from the Abercrombie influence on the dam’s side.”

As a rookie, Windsun Ben won four of 11 starts and banked just over $60,000 while racing in mainly secondary stakes events. This season, he will face a more ambitious schedule.

“We think he can be a player at the Gold (OSS) level this season,” said Young. “He also has the Simcoe and Canadian Breeders on his schedule. We wanted to give him more toward the end of the year when he gets more experience and seasoning.”

Young hopes to start Windsun Ben off in an Ontario sired 3-year-old Open race next weekend at Mohawk.

The veteran conditioner is also getting Tryst Seelster ready for her first OSS Grassroots test this coming Tuesday night at Georgian Downs. The filly is owned by one of the SBOA’s New Ownership Mentoring groups called the In It To Win Stable.

The Camluck filly is winless in seven starts this season, but does have four on-the-board finishes to her credit.

“She’s had many close calls so far and those owners are just dying to get their picture taken,” joked Young. “In her last start, she just didn’t seem to fire like we thought she would. We couldn’t figure out what was wrong until I looked at her hopples. They were all scuffed and you could see where she was catching them with her front feet. I think she will be much better now that we figured that out and I’m hoping she gets her first win soon.”