Woodbine Mohawk Park: Bax trotters provide a serious shot at Gold double

On Saturday night Woodbine Mohawk Park will host the Ontario Sire Stakes Gold Super Finals with each of the eight divisions for freshman and sophomores of both gaits and sexes racing for a C$225,000 purse. Trainer John Bax has been here before many times, but this Saturday he's got a sister-brother act that could be poised to take home a pair of titles.

Righteous Resolve enters the C$225,000 Gold Super Final for juvenile trotting fillies as the clear leader in the division in Canada and perhaps the best filly in North America as well. A winner in seven of her eight career starts, the daughter of Resolve drew post three in the first race on the Woodbine Mohawk program that starts at 7 p.m.

"She's been good every time we've raced her," said Bax. "She hasn't been to the bottom yet."

That's the amazing part of the Righteous Resolve story this year. With Paul MacDonell her regular pilot, Righteous Resolve has never been fully extended while defeating horses from on- or off-the-pace. Following a smashing victory in the Peaceful Way on August 27 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, ownership faced the decision of whether to put the star filly against the boys in the Mohawk Million.

"The owners were thinking long-term," said Bax about the decision to pass on the seven-figure race. "They were looking ahead to this race and hopefully the Breeders Crown."

Righteous Resolve has won six straight, including a breathtaking performance while winning the Champlain on September 15 in 1:53 1/5, a race where she accelerated rapidly past the half to blow by the pace-setter with a sub 27-second third quarter before coasting home by open lengths.

On Saturday Righteous Resolve starts from post three in the field of 10 that also includes stablemate Its Your Choice (post six).

"She's had a nice year," said Bax of the filly who has yet to win in seven starts but has only been off the board one time. "She's a nice horse that's at her best when following."

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Righteous Resolve's full brother, the gelding Duly Resolved, appears to be peaking at the right time for Bax. He drew post five in the Gold Super Final carded as race seven.

"We've had stomach issues with him and allergy issues," said Bax. "I think he's over that now. He set a track record at London in his last start."

Duly Resolved won for just the second time this year in 12 starts and his sophomore earnings are now hovering near C$200K, a number Bax is more than pleased with.

"When you make the kind of money he made last year [C$631,659], it sets the bar high, but he's raced well this year and made good money."

Duly Resolved will have to be at his best with Twin B Archie (post two), a multiple Gold division winner this year for trainer Scott McEneny and the speedy Unevergonnagethis (post seven) providing solid competition.

Though Bax has three freshmen entered in the Gold Super Final for colts and geldings (race two), he may need a little luck to get a win.

"My two best ones drew post eight and nine," said Bax of Snowpiercer (post eight) and Oh Look Magic (post nine). Deadline Hall also qualified for the final and landed post three. "He's going to need a trip," said Bax of the Muscle Mass-sired gelding that is winless in nine starts this year.

As for Snowpiercer and Oh Look Magic, the pair have been most competitive, not just in Ontario Sire Stakes Gold divisions but on the Grand Circuit as well. Both made the William Wellwood Memorial final. The pair were each third in separate divisions of the final Gold preliminary of the season on October 3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Oh Look Magic also raced in the Mohawk Million. "I thought he raced well. They stung him pretty good," said Bax of the trip that saw his son Matt parked out most of the opening half before clearing and then powerless to hold off eventual winner Oh Well when that one made a well-timed move. "He finished way ahead of the horse that parked him," Bax said of the end result.

Snowpiercer is a Muscle Mass-sired colt that Bax thought for a time earlier this year was his best. "He just hasn't had the 27-second quarters we were expecting," said Bax, who still thinks given the right circumstances - like a contested pace - he may find his way into the winner's circle on Saturday.

Righteous Resolve and Duly Resolved continue the Sire Stakes history for Bax as their dam Motown Muscle's first foal Bright Eyes M was favored in the Gold Super Final for 3-year-old fillies back in 2019.

As for Motown Muscle's next foal? "She doesn't have a coming 2-year-old, but I believe there's a weanling out there," Bax said.

For now, Righteous Resolve and Duly Resolved can do the family proud on Saturday, and with Duly Resolved's stakes season ending, Righteous Resolve hopes to tackle the best in the Breeders Crown over this same Woodbine Mohawk Park surface on October 28.