Woodbine Mohawk Park: Ways N Means strikes in OSS Gold Mid-Season final

Ways N Means charged up the inside in the lane from the pocket and picked up the biggest victory of his career so far in Saturday night's C$150,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Mid-Season final for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Driven by Doug McNair, Ways N Means worked out the two-hole trip behind favored Willowtime (Mario Baillargeon), who cut out stations of 26 3/5, 55 4/5 and 1:24 2/5. In the stretch Willowtime drifted off the pylons, giving McNair a path to bring Ways N Means through. Once he had the room, Ways N Means had plenty of trot to go with it, prevailing by a length and three-quarters in 1:53. Myretirementdream (Scott Young) was next, followed by Finite (Sylvain Filion).

"There's always a little worry," admitted McNair about looking for room up the cones. "Anything can happen, but we were following the right horse, and we were in a great spot - we had the six-hole and then there was a scratch, so we had the five-hole. I figured we'd just shoot him on out of there and try to get lucky. That was one of the horses I wanted to follow. He took us where we needed to go.

"He's been knocking on the door. Mike's (trainer Mike Keeling) been working hard on him and getting him in tip-top shape. Tonight, he was a different horse. Whatever he changed on him this week, he did a good job."

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A Muscle Mass colt bred by Steve Stewart, Kemppi Stables Oy Inc. and Pond-A-Acres, Ways N Means is trained by Keeling for owners Dreamville Stable and Harbor Racing Stable LLC. This was his fifth career win, he has now earned C$177,585 and paid $7.50 to win as the second choice.

"Last year, he wasn't competitive in the Golds, but he was a very competitive Grassrooter. This winter, he just came back a little stronger, a little more mature," Keeling said, adding that the horse has Kentucky Sire Stakes eligibility that might be used soon. "The first time Doug raced him, he said 'he's a Gold horse this year,' so we're just kind of biding our time. He's had some stomach issues, and I think we're on the right side of it now. When he's calm like that, he's good."