Mohawk: Filion nets a hat trick in Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals

The weather was far from perfect, but it didn't stop driver Sylvain Filion as he racked up three victories in C$225,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals for rookie and sophomores on both gaits Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.

Filion's first win came courtesy of 3-year-old male trotter R First Class, who took over the lead on the way to the 57 3/5 half and went on to win by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:54 4/5. It was the seventh win of the season and in the life of R First Class, a Kadabra gelding trained by Ben Baillargeon for owners/breeders Tom and Elizabeth Rankin. R First Class, who returned $2.60 to win as the 1-5 favorite, has now earned C$307,246.

On A Sunny Day gave Filion a sweep of the 3-year-old trots when she bagged the filly flight in 1:55 2/5. Away second, she moved to the top en route to the 56 3/5 half, and she was not challenged from there, scoring by 4 1/2 lengths. Luc Blais trains the victorious daughter of Muscle Mass for owner Determination (Serge Godin). On A Sunny Day won for the tenth time in her career, and she has now banked C$546,536. She was sent off at 2-5 and paid $2.80 to win.

After delivering twice with the chalk, Filion's final win was an upset as 18-1 Tymal Peacemaker romped to a nine-length win in 1:51 2/5 in the 3-year-old colt pace. Tymal Peacemaker cleared to command just past the 55 3/5 half, began to open up on the lead to the 1:23 3/5 three-quarters, and continued to pour it on through the lane on his way to the win for trainer Stephane Larocque and owner/breeder Bayama Farms Inc. Tymal Peacemaker made his seventh stop in the winner's circle, and he has now put away C$249,890. He returned $38.10 to win.

"It's been a great night. The weather was not so great, but we had a good outing," said Filion after winning with Tymal Peacemaker. "Hopefully the people enjoyed the show we put on tonight. I'm just happy. Three Super Finals, it couldn't get any better than this."

Other recaps are as follows:

Three-year-oldsNew Image MediaThe Joy Luck Club now has 14 wins in 2017 after going winless last year
The Joy Luck Club (Doug McNair) took the filly pace in 1:51 2/5 as the 4-5 wagering choice. She hit the top beyond the 26 4/5 quarter, and after a 55 3/5 half and a 1:23 2/5 three-quarters, she paced home in 28 seconds to win by four lengths for co-owner/trainer Gregg McNair and co-owners R A W Equine Inc. and Mark Horner. A daughter of Camluck, The Joy Luck Club now has 14 career triumphs, and she pushed her earnings to C$345,427. She paid $3.60 to win.

Two-year-olds
Doug McNair also won the colt pace with Casie Coleman-trained Western Passage in 1:51 3/5. Fifth in the first-half of the mile, Western Passage surged into the lead from first-over at the 1:23 2/5 three-quarters, then held on through the lane to win by three-parts of a length as the 2-1 favorite. A gelding by Sportswriter, Western Passage is owned by West Wins Stable, John Fielding, McKinlay Fielding, and Calhoun Racing Ltd. He has a pair of victories from eight tries, and he has now banked C$199,380. He returned $6.90 to win.

The filly pace went to 2-1 second choice Percy Bluechip (Trevor Henry), who came up the inside from the two-hole in the lane to win by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:53 4/5. The victorious Shadow Play filly is trained by Dr. Ian Moore for owners Shadow Two Stable, James and Wilma MacKenzie, and Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. Now with a record of 5-1-0 from eight trips behind the gate, Percy Bluechip has earnings of C$440,795, and she paid $6.80 to win.

Draft Year (Randy Waples) was the winner of the colt trot, stopping the clock in 1:57 1/5. He was third at the 28 second front quarter, but zipped to the point before the 57 4/5 half. He was able to keep the tempo soft in the third quarter, hitting three-quarters in just 1:28, and then came home in 29 1/5 to prevail by 3 3/4 lengths. Now with C$168,980 in the bank, Draft Year, a Kadabra gelding is trained by Brad Maxwell for owners Doug Millard, Tim Murray, Ben Mudry, and Howard Taylor, and this was his second win from six attempts. He returned $3.40 to win.

Rounding out the champions was Kadabra Queen (Scott Coulter), a 1:57 3/5 victor in the filly trot. Kadabra Queen was sixth and eight lengths behind at the 1:27 3/5 three-quarters, but a 28 2/5 final panel got her to the wire half a length to the good for trainer Chad Milner and co-owner/breeder Harness Horsepower Inc. and co-owner Frank Monte. Kadabra Queen, by Kadabra, has won half of her ten efforts, and she has now earned C$328,380. She paid $5.90 to win as the 9-5 favorite.