Woodbine Mohawk Park: Willys Home Run leads OSS Super Final winners

James MacDonald guided Willys Home Run to a sensational victory in the first of four Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday night. The occasion was the C$300,000 juvenile filly trot, and the daughter of Archangel continued her dominance over her rivals with a 1:56 2/5 victory, overcoming post nine in the process.

MacDonald had Willys Home Run in gear from the outset but found others inside also looking to the front. No One and Bruce Richardson tried to force her wide but was unable to and eventually broke. Willys Home Run appeared to be getting the top from P L Rainbow Dash into the first turn, but MacDonald didn't push and allowed his filly to grind by her rival at the 27 1/5 opening fraction.

The middle-half proved soft, as the 1-5 betting favorite was able to coast to the half in 57 2/5 and three-quarters in 1:26 4/5. During that portion of the race, second choice Valuable Miss and Trevor Henry embarked on a long coverless journey to reach the flank of the favorite. Any expected duel in the homestretch was put to rest when MacDonald called on Willys Home Run, and the filly just took off, opening distance in the process. A final quarter of 29 3/5 secured the victory, with Valuable Miss second and P L Rainbow Dash third over the wire.

As the 1-5 choice Willys Home Run, trained by Kyle Fellows, returned $2.70 to win. Owned by Dr. Sara Gatchell, Jake & Reg Higgs and Yolanda Fellows, Willys Home Run was a winner for the sixth time in 10 career starts and pushed her bankroll over the C$520K mark.

"She does it so easy," said MacDonald of Willys Home Run. "She's got that quick speed and she’s two fingers to drive."

Pass Line and Yannick Gingras were dominant in capturing the C$300,000 Super Final for juvenile pacing fillies, going wire-to-wire in a brisk 1:50 4/5. The All Bets Off-sired homebred filly was a winner for the ninth time in 11 starts this year.

Odds On Platinum and Blazing Belle left hard to her inside, but Pass Line took control into the first turn and set off a blistering 26 2/5 quarter to get the field in line. Ann had left as well but was parked and eventually broke, leaving Pass Line the opportunity to shut down the half that she passed in 55 1/5. Second choice It's A Love Thing and MacDonald tried to pick up the pace, going without cover through the third quarter, but Pass Line was uncontested through three quarters in 1:23 2/5 and had little issue sprinting off from pocket-sitter Odds On Platinum, who finished second. Blazing Belle skimmed the pylons to finished third, just ahead of It's A Love Thing.

"She covers the ground really easily," said Gingras following the score.

Owned by Burke Racing Stables, Weaver Bruscemi and Frank Baldachino, Pass Line is trained by Dave Menary. As the 2-5 choice Pass Line returned $2.80 to win.

"She's off to the Breeders Crown," Menary added.

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Willowtime had made a miscue and finished third in the final Ontario Sires Stakes Gold division, but he more than made up for that mistake with a sparkling effort in capturing the C$300,000 Super Final for juvenile trotting colts and geldings for driver Bob McClure. The son of Lookslikeachipndale was under duress for much of the first-half of the mile and then took the final turn funky but recovered and regained his poise in the homestretch to prevail in a 1:54 4/5 clocking.

Willowtime left right to the front and was put to pressure by Myretirementdream and driver Jody Jamieson. The pair locked horns through a 27 second flat opening quarter. McClure refused to yield and instead got embroiled into a speed duel that forced Willowtime to hit the half in 55 4/5 while putting away a challenge. The pace slowed through three-quarters in 1:25 3/5, and Willowtime looked quite safe, but late on the final turn he drifted to the outside and McClure had to steady his colt. Second choice Griff was closing strongly on the far outside through the stretch drive but was too late and couldn't get there, settling for second, with What About Elmo third across the wire.

Trained and co-owned by Mark Etsell, Willowtime was a winner for the fourth time in five career starts for owners Terry Devos and Peter Porter.

"It was a nice bounce back for him. I've had a lot of confidence in him from the start," said Etsell. "He's done for the year."

As the favorite Willowtime returned $4.60 to win.

Favorites held up well in the first three Super finals, but fortune changed in a major way in the C$300,000 2-year-old colt and gelding pace as 1-9 favorite Funtime Bayama couldn't last on the lead, and Storm Shadow, with McClure in the bike was able to get up nearing the wire in 1:51 1/5 as a 32-1 outsider. Crush Kill Destroy, at 79-1, finished second ahead of Funtime Bayama.

There was an abundance of early action that set the pace for the surprise as Do Better and Chain Gang left alertly from the outside of the gate, with Mirage Hanover and Tim Tetrick between horses. Do Better cleared before Chain Gang gained control into the opening turn. Tetrick went up strongly with Mirage Hanover to take command at the quarter while Do Better made a nasty break. Once in charge at a 26 seocnd clip, Tetrick saw the favorite Funtime Bayama move towards him and spent much of the second quarter taking the sting out of the chalk before releasing him. The price was a 53 4/5 half, but Funtime Bayama still landed on the engine.

Tetrick teased at pulling pocket but stayed put as the pace slowed to 1:23 for three-quarters with Funtime Bayama and Sylvain Filion calling the shots. Storm Shadow and McClure were on a long uncovered mission and caught stride in mid-stretch as the leader began to tire. A son of Bettor's Delight, Storm Shadow paced home determinedly to get the job done in a career-best clocking.

"I'd be lying if I said I expected to win," said McClure of the winner, who returned $67.70.

Trained by Dr. Ian Moore, Storm Shadow is owned by R G McGroup Ltd., Serge Savard, Mac Nichol and Bolton Farms LLC.

"He's improved with every start," said Moore following the win. "He had colic surgery and that's why he got a late start."