The Ontario Sired Heritage Series concluded Sunday at Woodbine with War Painter winning the $100,000 Ashbridges Bay Stakes and No More Options taking the $100,000 Lake Ontario Stakes. The 1 1/16-mile main track events, the Lake Ontario for Ontario sired 3-year-old colts and geldings, and the Ashbridges Bay, for Ontario sired 3-year-old fillies, completed the bonus-laden eight-leg stakes series held at Woodbine and Fort Erie racetracks.
Sent off as the 4-1 third choice, War Painter, with Fraser Aebly in the irons, broke well and settled outside in fourth, as Never Silent showed the way early in the seven-horse Ashbridges Bay, reaching the opening quarter in :24.84. Never Silent maintained her advantage along the backstretch, tracked by the trio of longshot Frac Amour, 4-5 choice Hurricane Clair and War Painter. Ahead by two lengths through a half in :49.26, Never Silent had company in the turn for home, with Little Teddy, in between horses, Hurricane Clair, along the rail, and a four-wide War Painter all closing in on the leader. Little Teddy struck front in upper stretch, but Hurricane Clair burst through in a bid for the lead, while War Painter, under steady urging, looked to reel in her rivals. At the wire, War Painter emerged on top courtesy of a gritty head score in a time of 1:44.93. Hurricane Clair was a head in front of Secret Load for second.