Woodbine Mohawk Park: Second OSS Gold Series success for Big Big Plans

Two-year-old pacing filly Big Big Plans made it two in-a-row on a perfect summer evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park, winning one of four Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions on the card.

The Robert McIntosh trainee left nicely from post five and led through a 27 2/5 quarter before Trevor Henry settled her into third position as Bankers Luck (He's Watching), and Starlight Dancer (Artspeak) exchanged turns at the front. Henry angled the All Bets Off filly out entering the stretch and found space on the racetrack to pull clear by a head over a late-charging Cheesy Smile.

"She got a great trip and was able to capitalize on it," said Henry. "She's a real nice filly. She's only been off the farm a few times, but she’s doing well."

Last week the filly won from the front, giving her two wins from two different trips.

"It's great for her," said Henry. "Last week I had to move her to the front, and sometimes a young horse when they do that, they might not respond as well late in the mile. Tonight, she got a nice covered up trip, and when she did get room, she was good."

McIntosh owns the filly with Mardon Stables and Dave Boyle.

Bob McClure piloted Cheesy Smile (Betterthancheddar) to second position for trainer John Pentland, moving her over C$74,000 in earnings for Pentland and his ownership partners Cindy Molyneux, Peter Charlton, and Archie Leach. Early leader Starlight Dancer finished third for trainer Melissa Lamoureux with Jonathan Drury in the race bike.

The Gold action kicked off earlier in evening in race three with the first of two divisions for rookie trotting colts and geldings.

Leaving from post six, odds-on favorite Snowpiercer was driven to the front by Paul MacDonell, and the Muscle Mass colt led the field through fractions of 28, 57 2/5, and 1:26.. It was the second straight week the John Bax trainee led all the way through three-quarters, and this time he held on for the two length win in 1:56 2/5.

"The half went a little quicker, and the horse I thought was second-best got back aways," said Bax. "Paul got some separation, and it's just the way it happened. Normally I'd worry about a horse always going to the front, but it doesn't get him all worked up. Everything is all good so far."

Snowpiercer is owned by Bax Stable, Bradley Grant, David Anderson, and Richard Gutnick. He now has over C$76,000 in earnings for the group.

Sylvain Filion drove Dowedealinandwhy to a hard-closing second for trainer Rob Fellows. The Wheelin N Dealin gelding now has a record of 2-1-0 from three starts, and over C$69,000 in earnings for owners Yolanda Fellows and Irene Carey. Rounding out the podium was Templeton for trainer Jonas Czernyson, who co-owns the colt with Aldebaran Park Inc. and L Berg Inc.

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Gregg McNair trainee Osceola was victorious in the other trotting colt and gelding division, bouncing back from going off-stride in his previous Gold start.

McNair's son Doug settled the Muscle Mass colt into pocket position early, and after Passarino (Lookslikeachpndale) moved past early leader Mass Market around the first turn, McNair promptly sent Osceola past both horses to lead the rest of the way.

"He really hasn't been a problem all winter," said Gregg McNair. "We raced him last week, and he made a couple of breaks in the mile, but we changed a few things around, and it ended up working out on him."

The colt trotted home in 27 2/5 to win by five lengths, earning C$51,550 for McNair's fellow owners Willow Oak Ranch and Paul Hawman.

Ghostly Casper moved all the way from sixth to finish second for trainer Benoit Baillargeon, with Sylvain Filion in the race bike. Baillargeon owns the Resolve colt with Teresa Davidson, Santo Vena, and Nunzio Vena. Trevor Henry piloted Robert McIntosh trainee Mass Market to a third-place finish. McIntosh, Doug McIntosh, and Randy Liepa own the Muscle Mass colt.

A 12-1 upset capped off the Gold action in race eight with Momentary Control taking the second division for freshman pacing fillies.

The daughter of Control The Moment made her pari-mutuel debut at the Grassroots level on July 5, and finished second. In her Gold debut she closed strong in 27 seconds to charge from seventh position at the half-mile marker and win by two lengths.

The field set a solid opening pace of 27 1/5 and 57, but Tyler Jones was content to settle his filly off-the-pace and move as the field rounded the far turn.

"She felt like she could go 27 with them leaving the gate, but I just kind of settled her down and got her back there," said Jones. "Then, coming off the last turn, she drifted out on her own, and when she hit that open stretch, she was gone. She found her stride and paced amazing. That was an easy 27 seconds."

Jones's dad Dustin trains the filly, and Andrea Lea Racingstables Inc. and Colin McKenna own her.

Chantal Mitchell trainee Freshen Up was second with James MacDonald in the race bike, moving the Bettor's Delight filly over C$50,000 in earnings for owners Ltd Bella Racing, Evan Katz, and Frank Canzone. Sylvain Filion piloted Lyons Bettorday to a third-place finish for trainer Anthony Beaton. The filly now has C$38,389 in earnings for owner Threelyonsracing.

--press release (Ontario Sires Stakes)--