Harness: Ontario Sire Stakes to kick off July 1

With harness racing set to resume in Ontario on June 11, Ontario Racing has released the revised Ontario Sires Stakes schedule.

The 2021 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) season will now kick off on Canada Day, Thursday, July 1, at Woodbine Mohawk Park with Gold Series Legs for the 3-year-old trotting colts and fillies. The Grassroots season will open Saturday, July 3 at Hiawatha Horse Park with the first leg for the 3-year-old trotting colts.

All eight Gold and Grassroots events originally scheduled for the months of May and June have been rescheduled. To accommodate the new dates, changes were made to the overall schedule for both 2- and 3-year-old competitors. The complete revised schedule can be found here.

Bob McClure, the 2020 Lampman Cup winner as the leading driver in the OSS program, is hoping 3-year-old trotting colt Macho Martini and 3-year-old trotting filly Dicentra can help him kickstart defense of his title with strong outings in the July 1 season opener.

"He qualified really good his last start there (June 1). He's going to be, hopefully, a whole lot of fun this year. He's come back good, he's sound, he's trotting perfect, so far there's no hitch in the plan," said McClure, who drives Macho Martini and Dicentra for trainer Luc Blais of Campbellville, ON and owner Determination of Montreal, QC. "I haven't gone with her yet, Scott's (Young) been filling in for a bit, but that would be where she'd start I'd imagine. She was pretty effective there last year."

Both sired by Muscle Mass, Macho Martini finished his freshman campaign with a record of eight wins, one second and one third in 11 starts for earnings of $454,393, while Dicentra tallied four wins, one second and one third in 11 starts for earnings of $150,552. Macho Martini was a four-time winner at the Gold Series level, while Dicentra captured one Gold Leg.

"It's such a good program, you know," said Rockwood, ON resident McClure, who has spent the last six weeks driving south of the border. "I think everybody realizes that, but after being down in Pennsylvania, the money our OSS program races for is really good and I think we're lucky to have it for sure."

In addition to the talented trotters from the Blais barn, McClure was also the regular pilot for 3-year-old pacing colt Lawless Shadow last season and looks forward to the Shadow Play son's return to OSS action. The 3-year-old pacing colts open their Gold Series season July 3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

"Lawless Shadow coming back, I'm obviously looking forward to him, he's had a couple of really good starts in Scioto," said McClure of the Dr. Ian Moore trainee. "I would expect him to be at the top of the class too.

"And you're always going to have something that nobody saw coming, from a driver's standpoint, you have one qualify and they really turn your head."

Both the Gold and Grassroots competitors will start accumulating points toward their respective season finales from the opening legs. Unchanged from the original schedule, the 2-year-old Grassroots competitors will compete in Semi-Final action on Sept. 30 and the 3-year-olds will battle on Oct. 1, both aiming for the Oct. 9 Grassroots Championships at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The Gold Series Super Finals go postward Oct. 16 at the Campbellville oval.

Complete details about the 2021 Ontario Sires Stakes program, along with the revised schedule, can be found on the website. For additional questions please contact the Program Administrator at ossprogram@ontarioracing.com.

Prospect Series to start June 27

Clinton Raceway will welcome the 3-year-old pacing colts for their opening leg on the last Sunday in June (27), while Dresden Raceway plays host to the 3-year-old trotting colts. The colts will be looking to earn early points toward their respective Prospect Series Final, which remains Sept. 24 at Grand River Raceway.

All four legs originally slated for the month of May have been rescheduled, which required changes to the overall calendar for the 3-year-old competitors. The 2-year-old schedules remain unchanged. A complete Prospect Series schedule can be found here on the Ontario Racing website.

Trainer Wayne Henry landed two 3-year-old trotters in the Prospect Series Finals last September, filly Credits Celebrity, who finished third, and gelding Wheelin Willie, who finished out of the money. Henry also drove Arch We Lucky to victory in the 2-year-old trotting colt Final for his brother George Henry. While the pair hopes Arch We Lucky's Prospect Series success vaults him to a successful campaign in the Ontario Sires Stakes program this summer, Henry is pleased the Prospect Series has returned for a second season.

"It gives you a chance," said Henry, a two-time winner of the Johnston Cup as the Ontario Sires Stakes program's leading trainer. "The Grassrooters are so tough now. There's some that are just so fast, they can go just as fast over a half as they can Mohawk."

Henry currently has a trio of trotters in training, two 3-year-old trotting colts and one 2-year-old trotting filly, and at this point the Arthur, ON resident is not sure at which level they will compete this summer.

"It just depends where they come along," said the horseman. "The one (3-year-old) he's a better follower, it don't seem to matter how fast they go, he just follows along. The other guy, he's a little more aggressive. He's not a bad colt either, if I can keep things sorted out on him."

If Henry opts for the Prospect Series opener at Dresden Raceway on June 27, the trainer-driver will be hoping the colts can get a head start on the point race. The top nine point earners from the five regular season events earn a berth in the Sept. 24 final.

Complete information about the 2021 Prospect Series, including the revised schedule, can be found on the Ontario Racing website. For additional information please contact the Program Administrator at ossprogram@ontarioracing.com.