Making her first start of the year, defending Ontario Sires Stakes champ Adare Castle asserted her class to post a facile victory in the first of two $25,000 eliminations for the SBOA Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (May 14).

Away third to a :29.1 first quarter, driver James MacDonald moved Adare Castle for the lead up the backside and cleared control from tempo-setter Mischevious Rose after a :58.3 half. From there, Adare Castle accelerated to three-quarters in 1:26.4 and continued into the stretch to stop the clock in 1:54.2, finishing 2-1/4 lengths better than Mischevious Rose. Clockwork Orange finished third, another six lengths behind, with Saundra taking fourth and Gala Halo rounding the finalists.

Co-owned by trainer Mark Etsell with Robert Newton, Graham Hopkins and Peter Porter, Adare Castle won her eighth race from 10 starts and has earned $498,537 with the win. The Muscle Mass filly paid $2.30 to win.

Resolving rolled to the lead in the other elimination to win in hand in 1:55.3. The Resolve filly raced third while Makin Magic Tonite clicked by the quarter in :28.3 before driver Trevor Henry made his move. Resolving took over the lead before a :58.1 half and saw no challengers from there, posting three-quarters in 1:27.4 and striding to a 2-3/4-length win over Lillys Lass. Makin Magic Tonite finished third with Rose Run Xcentric and Angelonia completing the finalists.

Owned by N. Yolanda Fellows, Blair Corbeil and Edward Wilson, Resolving won her second race from nine starts. Rob Fellows trains the winner of $136,490 and she paid $7.10 to win.

(Standardbred Canada)