Mohawk Racetrack played host the first OSS event of the 2009 season on Sunday evening, with three-year-old trotting fillies strutting their stuff in a trio of $40,000 OSS Gold Series eliminations.
In the first
tilt,
Cumin First throttled the competition by
close to seven lengths for the tandem of
trainer Frank O�Reilly and driver Rick Zeron.
The daughter of Striking Sahbra, who was
making her 2009 debut, halted the teletimer
in a career-best clocking of 1:56.3.
Zeron made the early lead with the filly,
who released Striking Fashion to the engine
just as the quarter pole flashed up in :29
seconds. Cumin First was right back out for
the retake as soon as the field entered the
backstretch, and it was lights out from that
point on. She led through middle splits of
:58.1 and 1:27.3 before tacking on
:29-second final quarter speed to seal the
deal. Mystic River rallied to finish second
and third prize was earned by Cuddler.
�She got a bit bigger and filled out and she qualified well for me,� said driver Rick Zeron. �She got a bit hot tonight post parading and going behind the gate; I had to keep an eye on her. She was listening to see if anyone else was coming; she had her ears moving back and forth. She was pretty full of herself finishing up tonight.�
Mary Anne Lauzon, Dr. Ruth Irving, Jim Fielding and John Jesson own the six-time winner who now boasts $279,200 in career earnings.
The first upset of the OSS season was turned in by Mets Inn and Randy Waples, who teamed up for a 17-1 in the second elimination. The daughter of Mutineer stopped the clock in 1:57.4 for her first win in just two lifetime starts.
Waples and
Mets Inn were parked to the quarter pole
in :29.2 by odds-on favourite Daylon
Mystique, who gave up the lead and came
right back around to re-claim the lead.
Daylon Mystique threw down middle fractions
of :59 and 1:28.3, but she couldn�t sustain
her speed to the wire.
Mets Inn was launched to the outside at
the head of the stretch, and she used a
:29-second final quarter to propel herself
to the win. Chicy Micky kicked on strong in
deep stretch to finish second while third
prize was shared by the dead-heating tandem
of Magic Sassy and Daylon Mystique.
�Last week I got her in a bad position and I never gave her a chance to race,� said driver Randy Waples. �It was her first start and I didn�t know what to expect because it was the first time I drove her and I just tried to get her around. I had her in a bad spot at the head of the lane. She had lots of trot on the end of the mile, so I wanted to get her up close tonight and give her a chance. She got a really trip tonight, and she comes from a really good barn.�
Bred and owned by Winbak Farm of Chesapeake City, MD, Mets Inn hangs her harness bag in the barn of trainer John Bax.
A costly break behind the starting gate
took race favourite Dont Wear PJs out of the
equation in the third elimination, and that
was music to the ears of
Butana and driver Chris Christoforou.
Bred, owned and trained by Charalambos
Christoforou, the Angus Hall miss sailed
past tiring leaders in deep stretch to take
her split in 1:57.
Chris Christoforou was in no hurry with
his charge, who tucked into the five-hole
while Justwin rolled the field to the
quarter pole in :27.4 before giving way to
Lunar Stream at the half-mile marker in :57.
Friendly Amigo blasted to the top heading
into the final turn, and she sprinted to the
three-quarter pole in 1:26 before letting
go.
Christoforou worked out a second-over trip in the final half for his filly and simply had to show her racetrack in the lane en route to the 1:57 decision. SOS Respect also passed the tiring leaders to grab the runner-up award. Third went to Baskin Wonder.
�We got t away pretty good and I liked my spot; it looked good all the way and I was hoping she�d kick home like she has been and she did,� said driver Chris Christoforou. �She wasn�t mentally ready to race last year, and even physically she needed to fill out a little more. She�s a bit bigger and stronger this year and it seems to be helping her.�
After going 0-for-2 as a rookie, Butana is now 2-for-2 to start her sophomore campaign.
The $130,000 OSS Gold Series Final goes next Sunday evening at Mohawk Racetrack. Here�s how the fillies will line up on the gate:
$130,000 OSS Gold Series Final
1. Cumin First
2. Chicy Micky
3. Magic Sassy
4. SOS Respect
5. Daylon Mystique
6. Mets Inn
7. Mystic River
8. Cuddler
9. Butana
10. Baskin Wonder