Woodbine Mohawk Park: Boadicea smashes Ontario Sires Stakes record

A beautiful summer night greeted the 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday as they assembled at Woodbine Mohawk Park for their second Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series event, and the clear skies and fast track resulted in a record setting performance by division leader Boadicea.

Starting from post six in the second C$106,400 Gold Series division, driver Jonathan Drury opted to send Boadicea after the lead early, and the filly reached the front just before the 26 3/5 opening quarter. From there, Boadicea simply kept on rolling, pacing to a 54 2/5 half and 1:21 4/5 three-quarters before accelerating down the stretch to the 1:49 victory. Pocket-sitter Sunny Dee finished 2 1/2 lengths back in second, followed across the wire by Premier Cabernet.

“She is a wonderful filly. She’s just got better every start,” said trainer Bill Budd. “I figured she’d pace in 1:50 tonight, but 1:49 is even better.”

Boadicea’s 1:49 clocking took four-fifths of a second off the former Ontario Sires Stakes record of 1:49 4/5 set by Kendall Seelster in Gold Series action at the Campbellville oval last summer. With three more Gold Series events and the season-ending Super Final on the filly’s schedule, Budd said he would not be surprised if Boadicea goes even faster before her sophomore season comes to a close.

“She is a big filly and the farther they go, the better she is. That’s the way you want it,” said Budd. “(There’s) another gear there still. I think so.”

Budd trains the daughter of Big Jim and Rose Seelster for owner-breeders Charles and Gordon Lawrence, who were on hand to see the filly record her second Gold Series and fourth straight victory.

With the next event slated for July 27 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, Budd said Boadicea will enjoy a week off before getting ready for a prep race one week prior to the Gold event, the same schedule that she followed after her June 1 Gold win.

“We just gave her a week off; I’ll give her another one now. She really likes that. Keep her fresh,” said Budd. “I’ll give her 10 days or a week off; long summer.”

Also heading for a well-deserved break is Powerful Chris, who cruised to a three length victory in the first C$107,200 Gold division. The favorite took control just past the 54 3/5 half and romped home to a 1:50 2/5 score over Lovely Donna and Ideation Hanover.

Bob McClure crafted the victory for trainer John Pentland and his co-owners Jack Darling Stables Ltd. and Syllabus Stable, and the driver said the Betterthancheddar daughter was on cruise control.

“She was very good. She’s come back a very nice filly,” said McClure. “She can leave, she’ll sit, she’s two fingers to drive, I couldn’t be happier with her.”

The win was the first of the season for Powerful Chris, who finished third by a neck in the C$454,000 Fan Hanover final at Woodbine Mohawk Park last Saturday. That effort, and her fifth-place result in the June 8 Fan Hanover elimination, seem to have boosted the filly’s confidence in the speed and ability that earned her three Ontario Sires Stakes wins as a 2-year-old.

“I think that (Fan Hanover) and the elim — in the elim her last quarter was big (25 2/5) — I think she’s finding another gear and learning to carry it,” noted McClure.

Powerful Chris finished second to Boadicea in the June 1 Gold Series season opener, and currently shares second spot in the point standings with Sunny Dee.

--press release (Ontario Sires Stakes)--