Woodbine Mohawk Park: SBOA eliminations contested

Stakes season officially kicked off Friday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park with the SBOA Stakes eliminations for Ontario-sired 3-year-old colts and geldings.

A pair of C$25,000 eliminations were need for both the pacing and trotting divisions. The top five finishers from each division advanced to next week's finals.

In the first trotting tilt, Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final champion Twin B Archie converted off a perfect second-over trip from driver James MacDonald to edge Esplosione by a narrow margin in 1:55 3/5.

Star Power Hanover made a second quarter move to the top to lead the field by the half in 58 3/5 and three-quarters in 1:28 3/5. Twin B Archie sat fifth in the early stages and latched on to cover behind Esplosione. The sophomore trotters sprinted home, with Twin B Archie muscling by a game Esplosione to win by half a length. Mr Fritter grabbed third, while Star Power Hanover settled for fourth.

A gelded son of Archangel, Twin B Archie came in off a pair of qualifiers, winning his most recent in 1:55 3/5 after making a late break the week prior. The Scott McEneny trainee is now five-for-11 lifetime, with nine top three-finishes, and has earned C$297,516 for owners McEneny, Domenic Chiaravalle, Floyd Marshall and Martwest Racing Stable. Twin B Archie paid $3 to win.

Evil Guy lit up the toteboard with a 48-1 stunner in the second trotting elimination.

Evil Guy and driver Trevor Henry stepped out to the early lead, posting a 27 2/45 opener. Stable Genius looped around to command entering the backstretch and raced by the half in 57 3/5. Red Overbach came to the outside from third, providing second-over cover for 4-5 favorite Duly Resolved on the far turn.

After reaching three-quarters in 1:26 4/5, Stable Genius brought the field into the lane with rivals ready to attack. Duly Resolved tipped off cover to charge down the center of the track, while Evil Guy had daylight to exit the two-hole and join the stretch battle. Those two trotters would square off, with Evil Guy prevailing by half a length in 1:54 4/5. Stable Genius crossed third, while Sea Can was fourth.

A homebred for Bill Mane and William Cripps, Evil Guy was winless in 10 starts coming into his SBOA elimination, including two starts this season. The gelded son of Il Sogno Dream is trained by Shannon Henry and was competing last season in the OSS Grassroots. A $2 win ticket on Evil Guy returned $99.30.

OSS Super Final winner Bob Loblaw turned in an impressive 1:50 3/5 effort to win the first elimination for the pacers.

Macho Phil out-sprinted Contact Zone to grab early command, posting a quick opening-quarter of 26 2/5. Bob Loblaw got away third and made a second quarter rush to the top for driver Sylvain Filion and led through middle-half panels of 55 4/5 and 1:24 1/5.

Ron came first-up at the leader on the far turn, but may have only reached the saddle pad before Bob Loblaw kicked home strongly in 26 2/5 to win by nearly two lengths in a career-best time. Macho Phil finished second, while Chucky Hanover rallied to finish third. Ron's first-up bid ended in a fourth-place effort.

Trained by Ken Middleton, Bob Loblaw nabbed his first win of the season in his second outing. The gelded son of Sunshine Beach won three of 12 starts in his rookie season, earning over C$233,000 for owners Middleton, Dave Walls, James Grant and Starting Centre Stables. Bob Loblaw paid $6.90 to win.

Stonebridge Helios made his season debut in style by posting a coast-to-coast 1:51 2/5 victory in the second pacing elimination.

Driven by Bob McClure, 'Helios' shot out to the lead and never looked back. The John Pentland trainee posted fractions of 27 3/5, 56 1/5 and 1:25 before sprinting home in 26 2/5 for the score. While a trio of rivals did their best to push the winner, runner-up Cold Creek Queso had a strong final quarter overturned by disqualification due to causing interference coming off the final turn. The DQ sent the runner-up back to ninth. Sport Secret was third-placed-second, Magical Arthur fourth-placed-third and Dont Poke The Bear fifth-placed-fourth.

A son of Sunshine Beach, Stonebridge Helios came into his season debut off a blistering 1:51 1/5 qualifying victory. The Pentland trainee won four of seven starts last season, never missing the top three, and earned C$295,710. Stonebridge Helios is owned by John Fleischman, Angie Stiller and Pentland. He paid $2.30 to win.

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Post positions for both of next week's finals were scheduled to be drawn immediately following the eliminations, however, the connections of Cold Creek Queso have appealed their disqualification, causing the pacing colts and geldings draw to be delayed.

The trotting colts and geldings final was drawn. The post positions are listed below:

C$121,600 SBOA Final (3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot)

1-Duly Resolved
2-Drinks At Home
3-Sea Can
4-Tymal Tiggs
5-Evil Guy
6-Twin B Archie
7-Stable Genius
8-Star Power Hanover
9-Mr Fritter
10-Esplosione
AE-Armstead Cole

The SBOA eliminations continue Saturday evening with divisions for 3-year-old trotting fillies. The pacing fillies event attracted 11 entrants and goes directly to the final.

Post time for Saturday's card is 7 p.m.

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--