Grand River: OSS Gold Series tilts won by I Love Ongait, Silver Label

Sophomore pacing fillies made their way to Grand River Raceway for the Industry Day festivities, competing in Ontario Sires Stakes Gold action. The pair of C$100,400 divisions produced a first time Gold winner, and a return to the winner's circle for a freshman superstar.

I Love Ongait started the OSS action off with a bang in race three. Leaving from post three, the Sunshine Beach filly was quicker than fellow fast leaver Big Bettor Hanover (Big Jim) and led the field to a blazing first panel of 26 4/5. The Dr. Ian Moore trainee was out front the rest of the way. Her biggest challenge came from a first-up Goudawon, who made a move as the field rounded the far turn, but I Love Ongait held her off to win for the second time in three starts.

"She gets around a half really good," said Dr. Moore. "She's trained on a half for the last two years, and I thought we would give her a shot here, and if she drew good, she should do well. We drew well and were able to get to the front and control the race, just the way we drew it up. So, we were very pleased."

Her early speed was utilized by Louis-Philippe Roy who returned to the race bike for the first time since the SBOA Final where she was an impressive second.

"She doesn't like to spend time on the end," said Roy. "She's more of a catch me if you can. That's kind of why I thought she would suit a half-mile. Everyone has to go around you in the last turn, and that's a short stretch."

I Love Ongait now has three career wins, and C$230,700 in earnings for owners Let It Ride Stables Inc., Bottom Line Racing LLC., and Mac Nichol.

Bayama Farms homebred Delight Bayama closed in 28 4/5 to finish second in her Gold debut. Sylvain Filion piloted the Bettor's Delight filly for trainer Jean Tourigny.

Goudawon fell to third after her attempt to overtake the leader, moving the Betterthancheddar filly's 2022 record to 5-0-4 from 12 starts. The Murray Brethour trainee went over C$160,000 in career earnings for owners Brenda, Mark, and Anthony Lane.

The second Gold division was two races later in the fifth, and Silver Label picked up her first OSS win of 2022 after winning three Golds and a Grassroots division as a freshman.

Doug McNair was in the race bike with regular driver James MacDonald sidelined with an injury. McNair blasted the odds-on favorite to the front from post three and set fractions of 28 1/5, 57 3/5, and 1:26. Speaker Nancy made a bold first-up move all the way from fifth to right beside Silver Label as they rounded the final turn, but wasn't able to complete the upset win, and McNair urged the Nick Gallucci trainee to a final quarter of 27 3/5 for the win.

"On a half-mile track you want to get to the lead, and she's always had gate speed, so I was pretty confident she would be able to get to a good spot," said Gallucci. "The lead at Grand River seems to work out well, so I was happy that we made it there. Then after that she just kind of did her thing."

The Millar Farms homebred moved over the C$500,000 mark with her ninth career victory and third in 2022.

"It's been a bit of a long wait to get her back to the winner's circle," said Gallucci. "But we were hoping for a good effort today, and she pulled through for us."

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Speaker Nancy's runner-up was her best career result in the OSS, improving on a pair of Grassroots runner-ups as a freshman, and sixth- and fourth-place finishes at the Gold level this season. Trevor Henry was in the race bike for trainer Shayne Barrington. The result pushed her over C$133,000 in earnings for owners Jamie Copley and Ottawabob Racing Stable.

Got The Gold finished third, with Jody Jamieson driving the Dr. Ian Moore trainee. After just one start at two, the Bettor's Delight filly has a record of 4-4-2 this season, hitting the board in all ten starts as a sophomore.

--press release (Ontario Sires Stakes)--