Woodbine Mohawk Park: Stonebridge Helios rallies to take SBOA Stakes final

3-5 favorite Stonebridge Helios charged by horses after a third-over trip to win Saturday night's C$122,600 SBOA Stakes final for 3-year-old male pacers at Woodbine Mohawk Park in a lifetime-best clocking 1:50 3/5. This race was originally slated to take place a week ago but was rescheduled after that program was cancelled prematurely due to power issues following a severe thunderstorm.

Macho Phil (Travis Cullen), a 39-1 shot, led through quick fractions of 26, 54 4/5, and 1:22 4/5 with elimination winner Bob Loblaw (Sylvain Filion) in the pocket. Meanwhile, Chucky Hanover (Paul MacDonell) took up the chase first-up from fifth on the last turn, with Sport Secret (Doug McNair) and Stonebridge Helios (Bob McClure) following him from second-over and third-over, respectively.

In the lane Macho Phil had nothing more to give after carving out the hot tempo and was overtaken by Chucky Hanover, but Stonebridge Helios was finishing best of all while widest, and he would get up to win by a length and a quarter. Sport Secret was also able to pass Chucky Hanover to finish second.

"It worked out really good. They went big fractions, and he loves to mow down fast fractions. We got lucky that way," said McClure.

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Trainer John Pentland also co-owns Stonebridge Helios, a Sunshine Beach colt, with breeder Angie Stiller and their partner John Fleischman. Stonebridge Helios has compiled a record of 6-2-1 from nine lifetime starts, and he has now earned C$369,510. He paid $3.40 to win.

"He's got the Somebeachsomewhere planned for next week, but I'll put a little thought into that maybe before. He wasn't great tonight. He wasn't at his best," remarked Pentland. "It's five weeks in-a-row he's got to go, and it's tough. We're aiming for the North America Cup, and that's what we want."

When racing resumes at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Monday night, there will be a carryover of $65,885.80 in the early Pick 5. Outside of Stonebridge Helios tallying as the chalk, the late Pick 5 on Saturday night saw winners of 24-1, 23-1, 17-1, and 15-1.