Rideau Carleton: Stormont Ventnor, Run Director get Ontario Sires Stakes Gold

Rideau Carleton Raceway rolled out the red carpet for the 3-year-old trotting colts on Sunday evening, welcoming the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series competitors.

In the first C$94,800 Gold Series contest, local colt Stormont Ventnor delivered an impressive effort to claim his second Gold win of the season. Starting from post four, the heavy favorite spent the bulk of the mile in the outer lane as Joey Bats trotted to fractions of 29 1/5, 58 4/5 and 1:26 4/5, but around the final turn Stormont Ventnor caught the pace-setter and proceeded to draw away to a 6 1/4 length victory in 1:55 4/5. Joey Bats settled for second and Perfetto was third.

Regular driver Phil Hudon piloted Stormont Ventnor to the victory for trainer Kevin Benn and owner-breeder Eric Baker and said the Justice Hall son is in top form heading toward the last regular season event.

“He was really sharp tonight. He seems as fresh as he was when he started the season,” said Hudon. “The Benns have done a great job keeping him on his ‘A’ game, and I’m lucky enough to get the drive.”

With 126 points earned through two wins, one second and one eighth-place result in the first four Gold events, Stormont Ventnor currently sits in second spot in the division standings, 24 points behind Run Director, who captured the other C$95,600 Gold division.

Starting from post three, Run Director settled into fourth as Say You Do hit the opening quarter in 28 4/5. As Henderson Seelster took over top spot heading for the 59 3/5 half, driver Sylvain Filion tipped Run Director into the outer lane behind Mister Magic and was content to follow that horse past the 1:28 1/5 three-quarters. As the colts straightened up in the stretch Filion gave the heavy favorite a clear look at the finish, and Run Director powered home to a 1 1/4 length victory in 1:56 4/5. Henderson Seelster finished second and Say You Do was third.

“He was awesome today. Sylvain said he wanted to go so badly he had to be careful when he moved him three deep. The colt wanted to go too fast, too quick, he wanted to make sure we stayed trotting,” said Ben Baillargeon, who trains Run Director for owner-breeders Tom and Elizabeth Rankin. “He was real good today, but he’s been good all along. We didn’t have too many hiccups with him, and I think the best is yet to come.”

The son of Kadabra and Keep The Spirit has tallied two wins and two seconds in his four Gold Series starts and will take a second run at the best sophomore trotters in North America in the September 1 Simcoe Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Run Director was third in his elimination and sixth in the final of the Goodtimes Stake in June.

“We have him in the Simcoe next week, this Saturday coming up, so this race will be a good tightener for him,” said Baillargeon. “He is eligible to the Canadian Trotting Classic too, but we’ll go week-by-week. Our main goal is the next Gold at Mohawk (Sept. 27) and the Super Final (Oct. 13).”

--press release (Ontario Sires Stakes)--