The Ontario Sires Stakes 50th Anniversary Celebration kicks off Sunday, May 19 at Flamboro Downs with three $20,000 Grassroots Series divisions for the three-year-old trotting colts featured on the undercard of the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup program.
The Grassroots divisions are slated as Races 2, 4, and 8, with the $50,000 Margaret Juravinski Memorial Invitational going postward as Race 7 and the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup featured in Race 10.
Northernchancellor, the Grassroots Series point leader in the two-year-old colt trot division last season, will make his return to the provincial program in the eighth race. Bred by Northfields Farm, Northernchancellor is owned by Marvin Chantler of Mardon Stables.
“He’s always been a good size,” said Chantler. “But he certainly did grow and filled out [over the winter] and he’s a good size trotter.”
The Bruce MacDonald-trained three-year-old will be driven by 2020 Lampman Cup champion Bob McClure, making his first appearance in the Muscle Mass gelding’s race bike.
“I think Bob can expect that if he wants to leave with the colt, I think the colt can leave pretty well, and, obviously, if you’re on top, you can kind of set your own fractions,” said Chantler. “The colt’s very handy. If somebody wants to leave from the outside, he’d be happy to sit in the two or three hole.”
As part of the 50th Anniversary celebration, fans coming down to enjoy the races will also be able to view photos and memorabilia from seasons past along with giveaways, activity books for the young ones and a timeline illustrating the 50-year history of the OSS.
“I’m excited to see Sires Stakes racing back because I was around racing in the Sires Stakes when it first started,” Chantler added. "I have been racing for 58 years."
Post time for the first race of the evening on Sunday at Flamboro Downs is 6:55 p.m. Fans unable to attend in person can visit the Flamboro Downs website for streaming information and make a wager via HPIBet. For entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Flamboro Downs.
(with files from Ontario Sires Stakes)