Woodbine Mohawk Park: In The Mood surprises in OSS Gold Series

The opening Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Leg for 3-year-old pacing fillies took place Saturday, June 4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and Shawn Steacy-trained filly In The Mood was ready for an upset, winning the C$199,900 event after going off at 14-1.

Leaving from post six, Sylvain Filion piloted In The Mood, a daughter of Sunshine Beach, into third position at the half, sitting off a 55 second pace set by 2021 O'Brien Award finalist Silver Label (Bettor's Delight), who was taken to the to the front by Mark MacDonald from post 10.

"With the two big favorites drawing the ten and 11, I knew that made it so you had to be close to the front," said Steacy. "And the six-hole is just about the perfect spot to leave from."

Silver Label was overtaken by her Nick Gallucci and Millar Farms stablemate Prohibition Legal, the odds-on favorite, heading into the lane before In The Mood blasted to the front in the deep stretch, pacing the last quarter mile in 26 3/5 to win by a length.

"She's just like a little sports car," said Steacy. "She can just zip off the wings and give a good punch coming home, and that's exactly how it worked out."

It was the first OSS win at the Gold level for In The Mood, owned by Steacy's parents and Hudson Standrdbred Stable.

"To win a big Sires Stakes division, and have my parents own a piece of the filly and one of our biggest owners, how can you not say it's exciting?" said Steacy.

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In The Mood made one start last year at the Gold level, and then dropped to the Grassroots, where she won two divisions, and finished fourth in the Championship.

"It's shaping up so she should be a player throughout the year in the Golds," said Steacy. "She's such a smart filly. She takes care of herself really well, and she's really sound. I think that's what's going to make her last throughout the year."

Prohibition Legal, driven by James MacDonald finished second, the first OSS defeat for the Big Jim filly.

Louis-Philippe Roy drove Love That Smile to round out the top-three, the fourth career on-the-board OSS finish for the daughter of Sportswriter. She now has over C$166,000 in career earnings for owners M&S Racing Stable, Gilles Caouette, Marc Gelinas, and Rene Bourassa.