No Control, Osceola and Talk Curdy To Me take Canadian Grad Finals
MILTON, May 4, 2024 – The Canadian Graduate Series crowned three winners on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The series for Canadian sired four-year-olds concluded with finals for Open Pace, Mare Pace and Open Trot.
No Control ($3.90) captured the $80,000 Canadian Graduate Series Pace by 8 ½ lengths in a career best 1:50.2.
Sylvain Filion steered the Tan Micallef trained No Control the the blowout score, going gate to wire. The picture of the race changed drastically at the head of the lane when Whatchulookin At and Write Me A Rose hooked wheels, taking both out of the race.
Speaker Of Peace and Nightime Dancer took second and third, respectively.
A gelded son of Control The Moment, No Control scored his first win of the season on Saturday after finishing second in all three prior starts. He is owned by Micallef, Kiera Liberte and Ian & James Clarke and now has $167,507 earned.
Osceola ($4.10) rode a two-hole trip to victory in the $81,500 Canadian Graduate Series Trot for driver Doug McNair and trainer Gregg McNair.
Passarino did the road work to the head of the lane before being overtaken by Osceola, who kicked home in :27.3 to win in a career best 1:52.4. Runner-up Ghostly Casper finished three lengths back of the winner, while Hasty Bid took third.
The McNair student Osceola is now two for three this season, eight career wins and nearly $500,000 in earnings. He is owned by Gregg McNair, Willow Oak Ranch and Paul Hawman.
Talk Curdy ($4.20) came first-up at the lead going to three-quarters and powered to a 1:51.1 score in the $81,500 Canadian Graduate Series Mare Pace.
James MacDonald guided the Dave Menary trained Talk Curdy To Me to a length and a half victory over pace-setting Powder Play. Mist Amber grabbed the show spot.
A daughter of Betterthancheddar, Talk Curdy To Me had a win and two seconds from four starts this season entering Saturday’s final. She is now a 10-time winner with over $260,000 earned and races for owner Pollack Racing LLC.
Saturday night’s card also featured a pair of eliminations for the SBOA Colt Pace. The event for Ontario sired three-year-old pacing colts and geldings saw two six-horse $25,000 eliminations contested.
Funtime Bayama, driven by Sylvain Filion for trainer Richard Moreau, captured the first division in 1:51.2. Unrivaled Hanover, Storm Shadow, Best Night Ever and Do Better rounded out the top-five, advancing to the final.
Enforcer for driver Doug McNair and trainer Gregg McNair went all the way to win the second split in 1:54. Stonebridge Thrill, Wikipedia, Always A Thrill and Four By Four were the other starters to make next week’s final.
All four SBOA Stakes Finals for Ontario sired three-year-olds will take place next Saturday (May 11).
Live racing resumes Monday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Post time is 7:10 p.m.
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