Woodbine Mohawk Park: Keystone Concrete topples Stag Party in OSS Super Final

Keystone Concrete flew down the stretch for driver Louis-Philippe Roy to surprise 1-5 favorite Stag Party and capture the C$225,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park for juvenile male pacers on Saturday night. The son of Bettor's Delight was a 10-1 offering.

Stag Party was expected to dominate in the final. The Metro winner was sent off as the 1-5 favorite from the pole position, and he was involved early, first yielding to Bettors Wish before the 27 2/5 opening quarter and then regaining the front at the half in a snappy 55 seconds.

David Miller appeared to have things in full control as he rated the pace to the three-quarters in 1:24 and prepared for the sprint home with Stag Party, but by midstretch his lead was tenuous as pocket-sitter Bettors Wish found room and rolled to the front for driver Paul MacDonell. That pair looked have the upset sewn up but had no response when Roy came flying down the far outside to roll by on the wire in a career-best 1:52 mile.

"I sat inside with him near the back," said Roy. "When I drove him last week he was very good for a piece so I drove him the same way tonight."

Roy was impressed with his charge.

"Usually when they have that kind of quickness they tend to slow down some, but he kept on right through the wire," Roy said.

Owned by Yolanda Fellows, Arpad Szabo and Blair Corbeil, Keystone Concrete led a Bettor's Delight-sired sweep of the event, though likely not the way most had predicted.

"Amazing," said Rob Fellows, Keystone Concrete's trainer. "He was in a tough spot."

Forbidden Trade took advantage of a contentious pace and swooped to victory in the $225,000 Super Final for juvenile colt and gelding trotters. The race saw Southwind Avenger (Trevor Henry) and Knight Angel battle for command, with the former setting fractions of 27, 57 3/5, and 1:26 2/5 and the latter pushing the pace.

Bob McClure guided Forbidden Trade with cover on the turn and then circled rivals to gain the victory in a career-best 1:56 2/5 clocking. Southwind Avenger held gamely for the place spot, with Only For Justice a nose back in third.

A winner in seven of nine career starts, Forbidden Trade scored for trainer Luc Blais and owner Determination of Montreal.

"They were going good up front," said McClure, "Dave (Miller) got me into it. He's been getting better every start.

By top stallion Kadabra, Forbidden Trade paid $5.90 for the win.

Yannick Gingras found room in midstretch and knifed through with 28-1 shot Summer Charm to surprise in the Super Final for juvenile pacing fillies.

Gingras left alertly from post two and yielded to Sweet Young Thing before the 27 1/5 opening fraction. Sweet Young Thing, with Trevor Henry, cut fractions of 56 1/56 and 1:24 2/5, with the third quarter under pressure from Ideation Hanover and James MacDonald.

In early stretch Gingras appeared to have no room as the field fanned wide and countless horses were in contention, but once room revealed itself Gingras pounced with the Dave Menary-trained daughter of Bettor's Delight, and she quickly scooted through to take a big lead. Better Single rallied in the final strides for second ahead of Quebec Blue Chip.

Owned by Thomas Dillon, Summer Charm returned $59.20 in winning just her second in 11 tries this year.

"I saw her race in the Kentucky Sires Stakes final, and she was pretty good," said Gingras. "I gave her a chance."

The 1:52 3/5 final clocking was a career-best for Summer Charm.

First-year stallion E L Titan got on the Super Final winner's list when his daughter HP Titania Runner rallied strongly to take command and then gamely held Champagne Jane at bay in the juvenile filly trotting division. Louis-Philippe Roy guided the filly to her fourth win in eight career tries, winning in 1:57 4/5.

Teddys Littleangel, a 7-2 shot, cut fractions of 28 2/5, 57 4/5, and 1:27 2/5 for Paul Macdonell and was clear of much pressure but once into the stretch she began to weaken, opening up the floodgates late for closers. HP Titania Runner came on off cover to grab the lead, then fended off Champagne Jane, and Presto Change O was a non-threat in third.

Rene Bourassa trains HP Titania Runner, a homebred of Claude Hamel and Michel Damphousse that was sent postward as a 2-1 proposition.

"I had so much confidence that I knew she could make up that ground," said Roy about the strong stretch charge of the winner.