Woodbine Mohawk Park: Stockade Seelster caps off thrilling week for Ian Moore

Stockade Seelster was able to get out of a two-wide predicament in the backstretch but wedging into the pocket and then got up in the drive to the wire to take the C$900,000 Metro final for rookie pacing colts and geldings on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Tickertape Hanover (Dexter Dunn) sailed to the lead from post eight in a 27 4/5 opening quarter, but Save America (Yannick Gingras), the 3-5 favorite, came to the outside from third nearing that marker and took the lead early in the backstretch. Stockade Seelster was also out and on the move from fourth and was able to duck into the two-hole ahead of Tickertape Hanover and behind Save America as Save America went an extra lane wide before the 55 1/5 half.

Save America got back down to the pylons entering the last turn and was unchallenged through three-quarters in 1:23 flat, but Jamieson brought Stockade Seelster back to the outside coming off the bend, and after a spirited clash, Stockade Seelster was able to wear down and go by Save America for the win by three-quarters of a length in 1:50 1/5. Ace Of Aces (James MacDonald) was third, followed by Tickertape Hanover and Huntinthelastdolar (Sylvain Filion).

"Just an amazing horse and a great job by Doc [trainer Dr. Ian Moore]," said Jamieson. "Yannick wasn't looking to let me go, and I knew that when I moved, but he's a tough horse to drive right now. He's green and he wants to go fast all the time. There was a gap there so I took it. It was as simple as that.

"At the of the lane I thought I did have him. I was kind of shocked a bit, but Stockade just dug in and paced right to the wire."

Stockade Seelster, who suffered his first career defeat in his elimination last week, is a State Treasurer-Soiree Seelster colt bred by Seelster Farms and trained by Dr. Moore for owners Sally and Paul MacDonald. Stockade Seelster, a C$45,000 purchase at last year's London Selected Yearling Sale, has earned C$742,600 to go with his 7-0-1 record from eight starts and returned $10.30 to win as a 4-1 offering.

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"We've had a lot of bad luck in this Metro with Arthur Blue Chip being scratched and Impeccable back a few years ago and Malicious and so on," remarked Dr. Moore, who also trained Stockade Seelster's sire and was announced as a Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame finalist earlier this week. "This is a pretty nice colt, and I should have made the change with the bridle long before this. He was obviously a lot more manageable tonight, and we got a full performance from him tonight. Jody did a heck of a job, there's no doubt about that.

"I was very happy. I figured that our luck might have changed when he drew the two-hole because I was expecting the ten-hole. That was a surprise. The week before in the elimination I was not happy here on a Saturday night. The horse and I were having a battle all week long, and he just wasn't in top shape for me. This week, I was very pleased. I warmed him up and he was two fingers tonight. I could have went another lap with him actually. Jody did all he could and got the job done. It's extra-special, that's for sure."