Hambo finalist crushes, breaks record in $157,200 OSS Gold

Ghostly Casper (Resolve) made a triumphant return to Ontario harness racing from his Hambletonian expedition with a dominant victory in the $157,200 third OSS Gold leg for sophomore trotting males on Monday (Aug. 14) at Grand River Raceway.

The colt needed a big first-quarter effort to take the lead from post six and got there in :28.1. Pocket-sitter Lookslikagoodfella (Pat Hudon) broke before the half, giving Ghostly Casper a cushion at the half in :56.4.

Ghostly Casper reached three-quarters in 1:26 and put the race to rest as he kicked away from The Hazelton (Bob McClure) in the final eighth of a mile. The winner reached home in 1:54.4, four-and-a-quarter lengths clear of The Hazelton. Oh Look Magic (James MacDonald) was third.

With the victory, Ghostly Casper set a new track record for three-year-old trotting colts. He lowered the mark of Sass, set in 2016, by one-and-four-fifth seconds.

GHOSTLY CASPER REPLAY

Ghostly Casper won the first Gold leg and missed by a head in the second before entering the Hambletonian. He made the cut with a big closing kick to finish fourth in his elimination but was ninth in the final. The Benoit Baillargeon trainee is now three-for-22 lifetime with earnings of $415,759. Baillargeon co-owns him with Teresa Davidson of Milton, Santo Vena of Cedar Valley, and Nunzio Vena of Bolton.

Before the card, construction began on the conversion of the track to a five-eighths-of-a-mile oval. Workers broke ground on the far turn but did not disturb the track currently in use. Officials expect construction to be complete before the 2024 season.

Grand River Raceway will continue action on Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 6:30 p.m. EDT.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink