Moore trainees earning a Sunday stakes sweep

Rideau Carleton Raceway hosted the second round of Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold action for three-year-old pacing colts and fillies on Sunday, June 23. The event featured two $140,000 divisions, with Dr Ian Moore's trainees, Storm Shadow and Odds On Platinum, securing victories and earning Moore a Sunday stakes sweep.

The pacing colts and geldings took centre stage first in the evening's sixth race. Storm Shadow, driven by Bob McClure, started from post three as the 2-5 favourite. McClure positioned Storm Shadow third off the gate, while Trophy Taker, driven by James MacDonald, led the field to the first quarter in :27.2. Trophy Taker maintained control to the halfway point in :55.

On the backstretch, McClure decided to move Storm Shadow first over. Under McClure’s urging, Storm Shadow advanced to second, reaching Trophy Taker's wheel at three-quarters in 1:22.4. As the pack tightened around the final turn, Storm Shadow bore down on Trophy Taker, moving within a half-length of the lead at the top of the stretch. In the final strides, Storm Shadow overtook Trophy Taker but faced a late challenge from a fast-finishing Wikipedia, driven by Trevor Henry. Despite Wikipedia's late surge, Storm Shadow secured the victory by a nose, clocking in at 1:51.4. Unrivaled Hanover, driven by Jonathan Drury, finished third.

This win marked Storm Shadow's first of the season in his seventh start of 2024. Owned by R G McGroup Ltd, Serge Savard, Mac Nichol, and Bolton Farms LLC, the son of Bettors Delight-Fade now boasts a career earnings total of $513,989 following his fifth career victory.

In the lone division for pacing fillies, driver Stephane Brosseau stepped in for Sylvain Filion, who was recuperating after a spill at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday. Brosseau guided Odds On Platinum to victory. As the even-money favourite, Brosseau swiftly took the lead from the outset, guiding the field to the quarter in a swift :26.2. Odds On Platinum maintained the lead to the half in :55.2, while Greatest Pleasure, driven by Bob McClure, initiated the outer flow from third.

Greatest Pleasure overtook Odds On Platinum on the backstretch, clearing at three-quarters in 1:22.3. However, Odds On Platinum rallied again, tipping out from the pocket to challenge Greatest Pleasure at the top of the lane. Odds On Platinum surged past Greatest Pleasure in the stretch, winning by three lengths with a final quarter of :27.4, and setting a lifetime best of 1:50.3. Greatest Pleasure held on for second, with Lightning Lizzie, driven by Brett MacDonald, finishing third.

The 1:50.3 clocking was the fastest mile paced by any three-year-old on a five-eighths mile track on Canadian soil in 2024, just one-fifth of a second shy of the 1:50.2 Canadian record set by Powerful Chris at Rideau Carleton in 2019. Owned by Odds On Racing and Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Platinum is a daughter of Bettors Delight-American Jewel. This victory was her first of the 2024 season in six outings, bringing her lifetime earnings to $509,052.

The Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series continues for both three-year-old pacing colts and fillies on July 20 with the $150,000 Mid-Season Finals at Woodbine Mohawk Park.