Ontario’s talented two-year-old trotting colts return to Flamboro Downs on Friday evening for their fourth $130,000 Gold Final, and Ann Munn is hoping The Northern Dude can repeat the top three effort he turned in

during last week’s elimination round.

“I think it should be a nice race. Some of the colts in there seem to be more or less equal in talent,” says the Guelph resident, who bred The Northern Dude and shares ownership of the colt with trainer Susie Kerwood of Rockwood and David Nicol of Mount Hope.

In his third appearance with trotting hopples, The Northern Dude carved all the fractions in his elimination last Friday and just got caught in the stretch by fan favourite Heres The Magic and runner-up Warrawee Nimby. The colts competed over a Flamboro surface rated two seconds slower than normal, leaving Munn impressed with The Northern Dude’s effort.

“It wasn’t easy racing, the track was kind of off,” says the owner. “There were a couple that went off stride.”

Regular reinsman Trevor Henry will steer The Northern Dude from Post 4 in this week’s test, the colt’s first in a Gold Final, and Munn says Henry gets along well with the son of Ken Warkentin-L R Alleys Concern.

“I always say they are cut from the same cloth. They’re both talented, they both like their job, and they’re both good looking,” says Munn with a laugh. “They both have a twinkle in their eye, so they get along well.”

Munn says Kerwood also has a special bond with the young trotter. The trainer and Li Farrelly of Guelph were the ones who suggested she mate L R Alleys Concern with Ken Warkentin, and Munn introduced Kerwood to the colt when he was just one week old.

“Susie and I went up to see him when he was a week old, and Susie’s had her eye on him ever since,” recalls the breeder. “I like to say they’ve had a relationship ever since.

“He and Susie get along really well. It helps that she doesn’t have a huge stable, so that she can spend time with him.” Munn adds.

The third generation of a breeding program launched by Munn’s late father, Dr. John Munn, The Northern Dude is the sixth foal from L R Alleys Concern, who was a Grassroots, Gold Elimination and Gold Final winner at two and a Grassroots and Gold Elimination winner at three. The King Conch mare banked $149,291 in her racing career, and then produced $410,699 winner Heaven And Hall from her first mating to Angus Hall.

“She was a really fast two-year-old,” says Munn of L R Alleys Concern. “My Dad just had a couple of broodmares and she turned out to be good, she had lots of speed.”

Munn and her partners are hoping The Northern Dude inherited some of his mother’s speed, but after the colt started off the season with a pair of breaks in Grassroots action, they have learned to be cautious.

“One race, one day at a time,” says Munn. “We just hope he enjoys it as much as we’re enjoying having him.”

The Northern Dude has been steady since Kerwood added trotting hopples to his equipment bag in late August and his owners are hoping the trend continues in Friday’s Gold Final, which goes postward as Race 6 on the Flamboro Downs half-mile. The Dundas oval’s first race gets under way at 6 p.m.

Friday evening marks the last opportunity for Flamboro Downs fans to qualify for the Ontario Sires Stakes program’s Win The Thrill contest. Prior to the Gold Final fans can enter their Win The Thrill ballot in the box of the horse they believe will emerge victorious. One ballot will be selected from each box as a finalist, and those lucky fans will earn a Flamboro Downs betting voucher and a shot at the Oct. 1 Grand Prize draw for one share in the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association’s (SBOA) New Owner Mentoring Program.

The Grand Prize draw will be held at Mohawk Racetrack on Saturday, Oct. 1 as part of the Grassroots Championships. The winner will join eight other newcomers to Standardbred ownership and mentor Brian Webster of St. George Brant in ownership of Ontario-sired pacing colt Bad Boy Matt, who will be trained by Cambridge resident Tony O’Sullivan in hopes of competing in the 2012-2013 Ontario Sires Stakes program.

More information about the Win The Thrill contest and the SBOA New Owners Mentoring program is available at www.ontariosiresstakes.com and www.standardbredbreeders.com. Ballots and details are available in the official Flamboro Downs program.

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To view entries for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Entries – Flamboro Downs.