Woodbine Mohawk Park: Tattoo Artist paints another Gold Series masterpiece

Ontario’s talented 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings returned to Gold Series competition on Friday, Sept. 18 at Woodbine Mohawk Park after spending the last month competing in Grand Circuit stakes.

The sole C$156,400 division featured a showdown between point leaders Beaumond Hanover and Tattoo Artist, both riding three-race win streaks in Ontario Sires Stakes action, along with six other Gold Series rivals.

As they have in virtually every start this season, Tattoo Artist and driver Bob McClure rocketed away from post eightand led the field into the first turn. Beaumond Hanover and driver Jody Jamieson found themselves in the outer lane from post two and opted to carry on, reaching the front heading by the 26 2/5 quarter, but McClure and Tattoo Artist quickly reclaimed the lead. The favorite rolled through a 54 4/5 half and 1:23 three-quarters and then kicked home for a 1 1/4 length victory in 1:50 1/5. Beaumond Hanover finished second, and Rhythm In Motion was third.

"He's really a pleasure to drive," said McClure. "Horses as handy as him, as smart as him and with the lungs he has don't come around often. I look forward to seeing him between every start."

The win, Tattoo Artist's seventh in 10 sophomore starts, came as a bit of a relief to trainer Dr. Ian Moore, who said the colt was not as sharp as he usually is on the training track this week.

"He actually didn't train very good on Tuesday, for the first time. Normally he trains really good and he wasn't so keen there Tuesday. I didn't tell Bobby that of course, but he did warm up very sharp tonight so I did tell him that," said Moore with a chuckle. "I'm going to talk to Frank Cannon and Eric Cherry tomorrow, and I think that we're probably going to try him in the US next Friday (Sept. 25) at Hoosier for the Jenna's Beach Boy, which Century Farroh won last year, because Century Farroh has one the same night, so I think I'll send them both."

Cannon and Cherry, through his Let It Ride Stables Inc., share ownership of Tattoo Artist, and if the pair is in agreement, the colt will be reunited with his winter caretaker Brad Firlotte at Indiana's Hoosier Park.

"He's worked for me in Florida for the last ten years, and he looked after Tattoo as a 2-year-old, and then he looked after him again last fall until he left as 3-year-old,” said Moore of Florida-based Firlotte, who will fly up to Indiana. "He won't have Giselle with him, his regular caretaker Giselle Loder, but that's the way it is at the border, right now."

The 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings have one Gold leg remaining, Oct. 9 at The Raceway at the Western Fair District, and the Super Final, Oct. 17 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Those are the only stakes engagements remaining on Tattoo Artist's calendar, unless Cannon and Cherry opt to supplement the son of He's Watching to the Breeders Crown eliminations Oct. 24 at Hoosier Park.

"No matter what happens for the rest of the year, he's had a great year. I think that puts him over half a million for the year, so I don't think anybody will complain," said Moore. "He's a sweet little guy, no doubt about it. We've had a lot of fun with him and enjoyed every minute of it."

--press release (Ontario Sires Stakes)--