‘An Awesome Milestone’ for Sylvestre
From left to right - Come On Artie, Jays N Tigers and Come On Barney - all sons of Machs Affair - with their breeder Diane Sylvestre of Sarnia, Ontario. (Diana McIntosh Photo)
A rare occurrence at The Raceway on Tuesday evening as three half-brothers (all from the mare Machs Affair) would be programmed to race within 25 minutes of each other and two of them would actually race against each other and square off for a final half battle in Race 10.
Machs Affair is a lightly-raced daughter of Mach Three-Emersons Affair-Armbro Emerson who didn’t make a start until her four-year-old season in 2012 and from just 16 career races she’d break her maiden in 2014 at the Forest City oval, with Scott Wray driving, for trainer Dwayne May and owner Diane Sylvestre,
Sporting a mark of 2:00.2 the mare would move on to the breeding shed and be paired with Vintage Master, in 2016, where the result would be Come On Barney. Her next mating would be with Tigerama, in 2018, producing Jays N Tigers. Artspeak, in 2020, was the next chosen sire where Come On Artie came along and then a date with State Treasurer, in 2022, would see Summer Lovn produced. All four of these Machs Affair offspring have made it to the races and have raced mainly in London.
So back to Tuesday night… Come On Artie (owned/bred by Sylvestre and trained by May) was in tough in Race 9 and as the longest shot on the board he’d finish sixth, with Andy Moore driving, about four lengths behind the race winner Crazy World in 1:56.3...
Race 10 was up next and Come On Barney (owned/bred by Sylvestre and trained by May) was in to go, with a rail advantage, but Jays N Tigers (owned/trained by Diana McIntosh and bred by Sylvestre) would be leaving right behind him from the trailing spot…
Come On Barney was noticeable very sharp in the early going - trying for the top, but did let Papiamento go just before the quarter mile station, but a give-and-go move would put him back on top before turn number two with Jays N Tigers sitting back in forth. Straightening up for the halfway point - a showdown was brewing as Jays N Tigers would make the move to challenge his older brother - just before the half and it would be on… Come On Barney would never let his younger brother go by and when it was all said and done - the pair would only be separated by a half length at the finish.
Come On Barney (Lorne House) was on top and Jays N Tigers (Tyler Borth) was second right there. Race favourite Bryant Seelster (Sam Filion) likely had the best trip of all - covered up and watching the brothers battle throughout the final half - but as he tipped wide, for the drive home, there was no way he was going by that stubborn sibling rivalry - the two sons of Machs Affair had brought their best on this night.
“We are so proud of ‘Our Mach Family’, especially when you are with them from the minute they are born and watch them come up through the ranks of breaking, training and qualifying,” said owner/breeder Diane Sylvestre the following day. “All owners and trainers know how hard it is and the time that it consumes… The ups and downs and to get them to the track,” she continued. “And when they give you that 110% - it is the most rewarding feeling you can ever have. Here’s hoping we can continue our ride for a few more years… Having the three boys here at Western Fair was an awesome milestone!”
Come On Barney, owned and bred by Diane Sylvestre, picks up his third win - from his last four starts - in London. (Raceway Photo)