Woodbine Mohawk Park: Best In Show, Century Farroh tally in Ontario Sires Stakes

There are developmental milestones in every young horse’s career and Saturday night’s Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series season opener at Woodbine Mohawk Park was a significant one for the province’s best 3-year-old pacing colts.

Over the next three weeks the top colts in North America will gather at the Campbellville, Ontario, oval for the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes and the Pepsi North America Cup. An impressive effort in the Gold Series opener will often launch a local colt into those prestigious open stake events, and on Saturday the winners of both C$108,800 Gold divisions proved to their connections that they have the talent to battle the best.

In the first division driver Bob McClure sent Best In Show to the front from post six and the colt cruised through fractions of 27, 55 3/5, and 1:23 2/5 on his way to a three-quarter length victory in 1:50 3/5. Bronx Seelster made a valiant late charge but could not reel in the pace-setter, settling for second, and favored Stag Party was three lengths back in third.

“I was very happy (to be asked to drive), and have been watching him for a few weeks,” said McClure, who had some time on his hands to watch Best In Show while recovering from a broken pelvis suffered in a qualifying race at Woodbine Mohawk Park on April 25. “He’s a very strong, powerful horse and will only get better with experience.”

It was the second straight win for Best In Show, who is trained by Linda Toscano for owner-breeders Richard and Joanne Young. The Bettor's Delight son now has three starts under his belt this season to go along with three freshman starts. Toscano said the plan is to send the lightly-raced colt to the June 1 Somebeachsomewhere and then re-evaluate before the June 8 Pepsi North America Cup eliminations.

Trainer Dr. Ian Moore is taking the same approach with Century Farroh, who delivered an uncontested 1:50 2/5 effort in the second Gold division Saturday.

“He’s really pleased us so far, that’s for sure,” said Dr. Moore, who trains the colt for Ratchford Stable NS. “He’s super, so they’re hopeful for a good season. They hope he can compete with the big boys next week. That’s what our plan is for now.”

Also starting from post six, driver Sylvain Filion put Century Farroh on the front just after the 26 2/5 opening quarter, and the colt simply paced away from the field, sailing through a 54 2/5 half and 1:23 three-quarters on his way to an eight length victory. Better Up and No Ordinary Man battled through the wire for second and third.

Century Farroh has not been bested in a race since last August. The Mach Three son finished his freshman season with four straight victories, including his Grassroots Semi-Final and the Championship, and then kicked off his sophomore campaign with a pair of wins earlier this month.

“He finished his year very well last year. He wasn’t raced real hard, reasonably lightly, and he grew and filled out and matured quite a bit over the winter,” said Dr. Moore. “He grew a lot. I let his hopples out three inches and his head out five holes. A lot of the gear that he had on last year, he doesn’t wear it anymore, I took it all off. All he’s got is a head pole now on the inside, that’s it.”

Dr. Moore expects Best In Show and Century Farroh will be joined in the Somebeachsomewhere by a number of their peers, including Bronx Seelster and Stag Party, who both made their first start of the season in the first Gold division.

--press release (Ontario Sires Stakes)--