Woodbine Mohawk Park: Ontario's stars shine in Super Finals

Desperate Man has certainly come up with big miles at opportune times in 2021, as the Pepsi North America Cup champion added an Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final title to his haul with a 1:49 3/5 victory in the C$225,000 event for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Driven by Trevor Henry, Desperate Man got away in the fifth position in the six-horse field. Meanwhile, Powertrain (Sylvain Filion) went to the lead and forced Bulldog Hanover (Jody Jamieson) to tuck into the pocket after the 27 4/5 opening quarter. Powertrain maintained the top spot to a 55 second half, but Desperate Man was out and on the move first-over before that marker, and he sustained his march around the last turn and to the 1:22 1/5 three-quarters, moving up into second.

In the lane Desperate Man forged his way by Powertrain, and although Bulldog Hanover made some late gains, it wasn't enough, as Desperate Man tallied by a length and a quarter. Powertrain faded to third.

Trainer Kathy Cecchin also co-owns Desperate Man, a gelded son of Shadow Play bred by Winbak Farm, with her husband John, their daughter Nicole Davies, and her husband Paul Davies. Desperate Man, who sold for $20,000 at the 2019 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, ended up being a wedding gift for Paul and Nicole, as they chose half-ownership of him over a downpayment on a new house. Desperate Man has a record of 6-4-3 from 18 career starts, and he pushed his earnings to C$986,266. He paid $5.70 to win.

"It's a cliché, but obviously it's felt like a dream. We still can't believe this is happening to us and that we have him. It seems like some sort of altered reality or something," said Kathy Cecchin with a laugh. "When he's come through, when there's been so many people there, it's been incredible. It's been unbelievable and incredible and we are thankful. And those horses that we have raced against for two years now, we think the world of them too. They're great competitors and we have the utmost respect for them."

Jugette winner Scarlett Hanover (Yannick Gingras) also was successful in a Super Final, bagging the 3-year-old filly pace in 1:50 4/5. Scarlett Hanover worked out a second-over trip off fractions of 27 1/5, 55 3/5, and 1:23 2/5, vaulted into the lead in the stretch, and pulled away to a five length score over Bet On Becky (James MacDonald). Voelz Delight was the third-place finisher.

Scarlett Hanover, a daughter of Bettor's Delight, is trained by Ashleigh Hensley for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Frank Baldachino, J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. This was her 12th lifetime win, she has now pocketed C$876,075, and she returned $4.30 to win.

Track announcer Ken Middleton got to call his trainee Bob Loblaw's 37-1 upset in the 2-year-old colt and gelding pace. With Sylvain Filion at the lines, Bob Loblaw raced on the inside through stations of 27 4/5, 55 3/5, and 1:24, angled out widest in the stretch, and used a 27 2/5 last quarter to get up and win by a neck in 1:53. Magical Arthur (Scott Zeron) was a good second from post ten, and favorite Stonebridge Helios (Bob McClure) had to settle for third after getting overtaken late.

"I was a little surprised Sylvain stuck with my colt after having so much recent success with Magical Arthur. That and the fact that my guy was underachieving," said Middleton. "It was a big relief when I saw that he was sticking with us, and it really motivated me to work as hard as I could on my colt for the last two weeks. I guess it paid off."

A Sunshine Beach-Lady Marina gelding, Bob Loblaw is also co-owned by Middleton in partnership with David Walls, James Grant, and Starting Centre Stables. Bred by Middleton and the late Canadian Hall of Fame member Bill Galvin, Bob Loblaw made his third appearance in the winner's circle, has banked C$233,657, and paid $77.20 to win.

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In other Super Final action, driver James MacDonald posted a hat trick. He won the 2-year-old filly pace with Prohibition Legal (by Big Jim) in 1:52 1/5 for trainer Nick Gallucci and owner/breeder Millar Farms, the 2-year-old filly trot with Adare Castle (by Muscle Mass) in 1:56 3/5 for trainer/co-owner Mark Etsell and co-owners Robert Newton, Graham Hopkins, and Peter Porter, and the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot with Twin B Archie (by Archangel) in 1:55 3/5 for co-owner/trainer Scott McEneny and co-owners Domenic Chiaravalle, Floyd Marshall, and Martwest Racing Stable.

"It was just terrific in every way shape and form," said MacDonald. "I had gone in with high hopes, I mean I had such a good line up, I knew I had the horse power as long as they were healthy and had good weeks and the races panned out."

"It's been a dream year, and I finished it off better than I could ever have imagined," said MacDonald of his OSS season. "I'm just really happy it ended this way and hopefully, I get to go down to the Breeders Crown next week, so hopefully I can have some luck there and put a cap on a year I will never forget."

Goodtimes Stakes winner Fashion Frenzie was a 1:53 4/5 victor from first-over in the Super Final for sophomore colt and gelding trotters. Louis-Philippe Roy was in the bike behind the Archangel gelding for trainer Richard Moreau and owners Ecurie Francis Richard Inc., Mario Bourgea, Pierre Guillemette, and Francis Richard.

Completing the Super Final champions was Up And Ready, who stormed into the lead in the lane from the pocket and pulled away to win the 3-year-old filly trot by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:55 1/5. Doug McNair drove Up And Ready, by Kadabra, for trainer John Bax and owners Al Libfeld, Marvin And Lynn Katz, and Sam Goldband.

"She raced really good the last time, and she's been good the last few starts. I thought, they're kind of ignoring her on the odds board, and if the guys ignore her in the race, and Dougie gets the trip, I thought she had a pretty good shot," said Bax. "I was feeling pretty good about the way she came into the race."

--quotes courtesy of the Ontario Sires Stakes--