Woodbine Mohawk Park: McClure bats a thousand in OSS Gold Series

Driver Bob McClure guided Griff and Willowtime to wins in a pair of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series flights for 2-year-old male trotters on Tuesday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

In the first C$103,100 split Griff lingered back in eighth and seventh through fractions of 27 2/5, 57 1/5 and 1:26, but McClure fanned him out past three-quarters, and in the stretch the colt hit top gear, using a 27 1/5 final kicker to rally for the victory by half a length in 1:54 4/5. Myretirementdream (Jody Jamieson), who took command from first-over past the half, had to settle for second, and Elegant Resolve (James MacDonald) was third.

"He felt great the whole way. The big problem he was having was just staying trotting early, but Murray's (trainer Murray Brethour) done a good job. He changed some things and put some hobbles on. Last week he got a little confidence-booster in him (a 1:58 1/5 tally in an overnight race)," McClure said. "Did I expect him to jump up and win a Gold? No, but at the head of the lane he started kicking. He raced really good. 1:54 4/5 - he dropped a lot of time there. I was pretty impressed with him tonight."

Brethour also co-owns Griff, a Muscle Mass gelding, with breeders Jeffrey and Lori Thomson and their partner Kyle Northover. He's won two of three starts, earned C$60,050 and paid $25.50 to win as an 11-1 offering.

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The other C$104,000 division saw Willowtime in the lead at the 27 1/5 quarter, but he would be overtaken by pocket-sitter and favorite Soar Higher (MacDonald) prior to the 57 2/5 half. Soar Higher continued on the engine through three-quarters in 1:26 4/5 and turned for home first, but McClure swung Willowtime to the outside in the lane, and he out-footed Soar Higher to the finish line, scoring by half a length in 1:54 2/5. What About Elmo (Tyler Jones) collected third.

"When he started, he was what we call the ugly duckling. His feet were going everywhere, and it took him a while to grow into himself. Once we got around 2:20 he starting showing some extreme talent," offered trainer Mark Etsell about getting Willowtime ready to race. "He just needed some fine tuning, and we figured it out. Scott (Young) drove him the first time (in a baby race in July), and I asked him why he ran, and he really couldn't explain it. I drove him the second time, and I thought I figured out what he was doing. From then on he's been really good."

Willowtime, by Lookslikeachpndale, is also co-owned by Etsell with co-owner/breeder Terry Devos and co-owner Peter Porter. Victorious in both of his efforts so far, he has pocketed C$103,550 and returned $8.10 to win as the 3-1 second choice.