Campbellville, ON --- Trainer Gregg McNair captured his first Johnston Cup award last season, and the Guelph resident is on track to repeat as the Ontario Sires Stakes’ leading trainer in 2013.
Twenty different pacers and nine trotters have contributed to McNair’s second superlative season, which sees him leading the trainer standings by 67 points just past the halfway mark. Two of those pacers are currently ranked first and second in the 2-year-old pacing filly Grassroots standings and Momara and Can Art will be looking to maintain their standing when the fillies arrive at Mohawk Racetrack on Labor Day Monday (Sept. 2).
Division leader Momara will be first out of the barn on Monday for the McNair contingent, which also includes Regally Ready and Eagle Molly. The Lis Mara-Mosaic daughter has been near flawless in Grassroots action, recording three wins and one second, but she faces a stiff test Monday starting from the outside post 10 in the first C$18,000 division.
McNair’s son Doug will steer all four fillies, piloting Momara on behalf of his father, Leonard Gamble, Don MacDonald and David Kryway.
All four of the McNair trainees will start on the outer half of the gate and second-ranked Can Art landed post nine in the third race. The daughter of Artistic Fellaand former Ontario Sires Stakes winner Canadette is owned by breeder Robert Chapple and has two wins and one fourth to her credit through three Grassroots starts.
Regally Ready will also start from post nine, looking for her first Grassroots win in the fifth race. The Royal Mattjesty-Jodi St Laurent daughter has been close, recording a pair of seconds, but has yet to land owners Hutt Racing Stable in the winner’s circle.
The final member of team McNair, Eagle Molly, will start from post eight in the last division. The Eagle Luck-Armbro Vertical lass, bred and owned by McNair along with Ian Fleming, has just one start under her belt and will be looking to improve on the fifth-place result she earned at Hanover Raceway on Aug. 17.
The 2-year-old pacing fillies will wage their second last regular season battle in races one, two, three, five and 12 on Mohawk Racetrack’s holiday Monday program, which also features the Simcoe Stakes for the 3-year-old pacing fillies and trotting fillies. At least half the field in each C$216,429 Simcoe Stake is Ontario-sired, including trotting superstar Bee A Magician from post 11 in the sixth race.