Lyons Bettorday steamrolls to $103,100 OSS Gold victory

Lyons Bettorday (Bettors Delight) kicked off her Ontario Sires Stakes campaign with an impressive seventh-to-first rally to break 1:50 for the first time in the first Gold leg for three-year-old pacing fillies on Friday (Jun. 2) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The filly set in motion from seventh for Louis-Philippe Roy at the half and was six lengths back third-over at three-quarters. She turned on the jets as they entered the stretch, though, and roared to the lead by the eighth pole. She then sailed to victory in 1:49.4. Favorite Beach (James MacDonald) put in a big mile to come from ninth at three-quarters to second at the finish. One Last Wish (Paul MacDonell) was third.

LYONS BETTORDAY REPLAY

It was the first win of the season after four place finishes for Lyons Bettorday. The Tony Beaton-trained filly was second in the SBOA Stakes. She also won a Gold leg last year and made the Super Final. She has now earned $247,503 and has won twice in 16 lifetime tries for Threelyonsracing of Brantford.

The other division went to Cheesy Smile (Betterthancheddar, Bob McClure), who narrowly avoided a huge upset as the favourite.

The filly was second-over and surged past the top two to take the lead in deep-stretch. Bettors Punch (Jonathan Drury), who had been on her cover, closed with her and ignited late to miss by a nose at 71-1. The mile was timed in 1:52. Lady Get Lucky (Doug McNair) finished third by a neck.

CHEESY SMILE REPLAY

Cheesy Smile was coming off her impressive SBOA Stakes victory and is two-for-three on the year. She is now seven-for-13 lifetime, which includes an OSS Super Final championship, and has brought in $434,477 under trainer John Pentland. He co-owns with R C Molyneux Racing of Sparta, Peter Charlton of St. Thomas, and Archie Leach of London.

Also on the card, Trevor Henry was unseated from Angels Express at the start of the second race. The horse was caught, and both came away uninjured. Henry continued driving on the night.

The next Gold event is scheduled for Jun. 8 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The track’s Saturday card is packed full of stakes, with three divisions of the Graduate Series, the second leg of the Miss Versatility, and two divisions of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes. First post is set for 7:00 p.m. EDT.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink