Woodbine Mohawk Park: LMC Wagon Wheel strikes in OSS Gold Series

With a late kick, LMC Wagon Wheel won a surprisingly-competitive five-horse C$140,000 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold Series event for 3-year-old trotting colts on Friday (Aug. 22) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

It was the first Gold victory of the year for the gelded homebred son of Wheeling N Dealin-LMC Marshmellow, who edged two-time Gold champ P L Spencer (Bob McClure) by a half-length at the wire, with Galen Erso (Doug McNair) third.

Tyler Borth drove LMC Wagon Wheel to the career-best 1:53 1/5 victory for owner Frank Cirillo and trainer Ben Baillargeon. LMC Wagon Wheel was bred by Loredana Cirillo.

Borth had LMC Wagon Wheel on the front early and led the field through the 27 1/5 opening quarter as Ritchie Rich (Todd Ratchford) made a break. Before the 56 3/5 half, Borth relented the front to first P L Spencer and then Galen Erso. LMC Wagon Wheel was content to sit third through the 1:24 4/5 three-quarters before charging past the two front-steppers in deep stretch to record the victory.

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"It was a short field, but I still wanted to get away somewhat close [to the front]," Borth told Woodbine Mohawk Park broadcaster John Rallis. "It wasn't a great spot, but I wasn't too concerned. When Todd Ratchford's horse made a break, unfortunately for them, it obviously helped things. And [LMC Wagon Wheel] closes so well. When I was only third on the rail I thought he would kick home, and I knew we had a good shot."

It was the fourth different Gold winner in the division this year. P L Spencer and Ritchie Rich won the two opening leg Golds on May 29 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. On June 23 at Mohawk, P L Spencer set the fastest mile by a male sophomore trotter in OSS history, winning the lone Gold at Mohawk in 1:51 3/5. Galen Erso won the most recent Gold in the division on July 16 at Grand River Raceway.

The win sent LMC Wagon Wheel's record to 3-2-3 in 11 starts this year and 4-3-4 in 18 lifetime outings. He now sports lifetime earnings of C$208,784 and seasonal earnings of C$156,281. LMC Wagon Wheel won one Gold event in 2024 when he was trained and driven by Pat Hudon.

"He's been nothing but good all year," Baillargeon said. "So, it was just a matter of time before he won [a Gold]."