Blazing Belle and Wikipedia wow in OSS Gold
MILTON, September 26, 2024 – It wasn’t a holiday, but the final Ontario Sires Stakes Gold event for three-year-old pacers provided fireworks on Thursday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Both the three-year-old pacing colts and geldings and three-year-old pacing fillies had a single $140,000 division contested Thursday to cap off the regular season.
Blazing Belle reached up in the last strides to pull off a shocking 55-1 upset over division leader Its A Love Thing in 1:49.2.
Driven by Doug McNair, Blazing Belle left strongly to land in the two-hole behind longshot One More Bet at a :26.1 opening-quarter. Odds On Platinum swept the lead from fourth to hit the half in :54.4, while Its A Love Thing remained in fifth.
The 2/5 favourite Its A Love Thing edged out entering the far turn to start advancing first-up, pulling to within three lengths of the leader. The three-quarter time was a sharp 1:22.1.
In the stretch, Its A Love Thing kept inching in closer on Odds On Platinum and had the leader reeled in with a sixteenth to go. However, Blazing Belle was able to angle off the rail and follow the heavy favourite briefly before powering by in the shadow of the wire.
Blazing Belle stopped the clock in a new career best 1:49.2, beating Its A Love Thing by a neck. Odds On Platinum was third, while Coco Jo Jo was fourth.
“I just wanted to get spotted and figured if I finished fourth or fifth I did a pretty good job and she surprised me,” said Doug McNair post-race. “She surprised me tonight. I didn’t really want to move her off (Its A Love Thing’s) helmet because I didn’t want to cost myself third because I figured if I tipped her that (Its A Love Thing) would probably go on, but once I tipped her, she just kept on digging.”
A well-bred daughter of Bettors Delight, Blazing Belle was returning to Ontario on Thursday following a stint in Kentucky, racing for owner/breeder James Avritt Sr. and trainer Gregg McNair.
Blazing Belle is now five for 14 on the season, earning $132,057. The three-year-old was winless in 10 starts at age two, but did make over $100,000.
McNair is confident that Thursday’s win will provide great momentum moving into the OSS Super Final on October 12.
“(Winning) doesn’t hurt her confidence or mine and hopefuilly we can get another good start into her.”
A $2 win ticket on Blazing Belle returned $112.10.
Wikipedia turned in a wicked stretch rally to defeat five rivals in the OSS Gold for sophomore pacing colts and geldings.
The compact field took position quickly, as Crush Kill Destroy grabbed the early lead and showed the way throughout. The leader put up sensible fractions of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:25 to lead the field into the stretch.
Heavy-favourite Chain Gang edged from third on the far turn, but didn’t advance, opening the door for another rival.
Sitting fifth throughout and more than five lengths back turning for home, Wikipedia unleashed a :26.1 final-quarter to sweep by his rivals for driver Travis Cullen and win in 1:52.1. Crush Kill Destroy held second over Unrivaled Hanover, while Legal Attack was fourth.
A son of Mcwicked, Wikipedia was winless in his last nine starts going into Thursday’s race for owners S S G Stables and trainer Anthony Beaton.
“He’s a fast little colt,” said Cullen post-race. “I knew (the shorter field) would help him because he can fire for home quite well. I thought (Chain Gang) would carry us a little further, but when I saw him stall, I thought we had a good shot because he was the horse to beat.”
Wikipedia now has three wins and $173,182 earned in 16 starts this season. The sophomore colt had just one win in eight tries as a rookie and now sports career earnings of over $220,000.
A $2 win ticket on Wikipedia returned $21.50.
With the regular season now complete, the sophomore pacers will all turn their attention to the OSS Super Finals on October 12 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
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Mark McKelvie