Rideau Carleton: Stockade Seelster victorious in OSS Gold Series

Stockade Seelster got to the top early despite starting from the outside post eight and went on to a 1:50 3/5 win in a C$157,200 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series race for 3-year-old male pacers on Sunday night at Rideau Carleton Raceway.

Driver Jody Jamieson hit the accelerator at the start with Stockade Seelster, and he was able to get past Moment Is Here (James MacDonald) to take command before the 26 4/5 opening quarter. From there, Stockade Seelster remained in front through the half in 55 seconds and the three-quarters in 1:22 3/5.

"I expected to take about a three-eighths park before I could get there," said Jamieson. "But three steps out of the wings it looked like I was going to be able to cross over pretty easy, and from there he kind of did his own thing. He just wasn't getting beat tonight."

In the stretch Moment Is Here dove to the passing lane to take a shot at Stockade Seelster, but the pace-setter still had something in reserve and scored by half a length. Whatchulookin At (Louis-Philippe Roy) closed well to finish third, with Better B Bold (Bob McClure) also gaining from off-the-pace to collect fourth.

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"Around the last turn I thought I had it in the bag," said Jamieson. "When James popped in there, I heard him yell, but I just had a really good feeling about my horse tonight. It didn't matter who was on my back to be honest. I was really proud of him tonight, he was exceptional."

Dr. Ian Moore trains Stockade Seelster, a State Treasurer colt bred by Seelster Farms, for owners Sally and Paul MacDonald. He has a summary of 13-1-3 from 20 attempts, has now earned C$1,180,341 and paid $10.80 to win after being sent off at 4-1.

--quotes courtesy of the Ontario Sires Stakes--