Woodbine Mohawk Park: Lyons Bettorday, Cheesy Smile score in OSS Gold Series
Lyons Bettorday and Cheesy Smile were the winners of the pair of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series splits for sophomore pacing fillies on Friday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Driven by Louis-Philippe Roy in the first C$103,100 division, Lyons Bettorday worked out a third-over trip through fractions of 25 4/5, 54 1/5 and 1:22 set by Grandeur Seelster (Austin Sorrie) and Ruthy B (Doug McNair). Ruthy B, the 3-5 favorite, made a break just after three-quarters, which threw the race open, and Lyons Bettorday took advantage, using a 26 3/5 final quarter to vault into the lead in the lane and the win by a length and three-quarters over a closing Favorite Beach (James MacDonald). One Last Wish (Paul MacDonell) was third.
"She's way better chasing I find, and those were perfect fractions to chase tonight," said winning trainer Anthony Beaton.
Threelyonsracing owns Lyons Bettorday, a daughter of Bettor's Delight. This was her second career win, she has now earned C$247,503, and she paid $8.80 to win as the 3-1 second choice.
► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter
The second C$102,200 tilt saw Big Big Plans (Trevor Henry) in the lead at the 26 4/5 first quarter but Bettor Call Mom (Roy) brushed out of third in the backstretch and cleared just past the 56 1/5 half. Bettor Call Mom would go on to hit three-quarters in 1:24 2/5, but she was under attack from a first-over Freshen Up (Jody Jamieson) at that marker, with favorite Cheesy Smile (Bob McClure) sitting cool from second-over.
Bettor Call Mom was able to turn away Freshen Up's bid and held sway on the front-end until mid-stretch when she gave way to Cheesy Smile, but the race was hardly over as Bettors Punch (Jonathan Drury) and Lady Get Lucky (McNair) were turning in closing bids of their own. Cheesy Smile wouldn't be denied, though, as she got to the wire a nose in front of Bettors Punch in a 1:52 mile, with Lady Get Lucky back in third.
"That wasn't her best effort tonight. When she gets a trip like that, she can usually lock it down pretty good. There were some horses coming at her that she should be able to beat a little easier, but I have a lot of faith in [trainer] John [Pentland]. He'll have her pretty stinging tight in her next one, I bet," McClure remarked. "At the head of the lane, I was just wondering 'when do I move?' I just kind of chalked it up to a win, but Jonathan's filly, she raced awesome. He gave her a great trip, and she gave me a really big run, and Dougie was on the outside. I'm glad we got the win, and I'm happy for all the owners out here, but I think she can be better."
Pentland also co-owns Cheesy Smile, a Betterthancheddar filly, with parners R C Molyneux Racing, Peter Charlton and Archie Leach. She has a record of 7-2-0 from 14 appearances, she pushed her bankroll to C$434,477, and she returned $4.40 to win.