After finishing second to Friendly Amigo in a Kawartha Downs track record setting performance last week in an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold elimination for three-year-old trotting fillies, Elusive Desire one-upped her rival
when she came back to prevail in the $130,000 final Saturday night.
With Friendly Amigo (Bruce Richardson) making an early break, Elusive Desire and driver Paul MacDonell shot off the gate from Post 4 and powered past intervals of :29.1, :59 and 1:27.2. Elimination winner and Post 9 starter Mets Inn (Steve Byron) overcame interference from Cuddler (Brad Rae), who broke stride early on at the rail, and journeyed first-over from fourth through the middle splits but was only able to get within a length and three-quarters of the leader. Elusive Desire then unleashed a :29-second final frame and pulled away from the field by four and a quarter lengths to score in 1:56.2.
Novelty As (Fred Brethour) was the runner-up with Mystic River (Doug Brown) third. Mets Inn finished fourth but was placed seventh for causing interference to the pocket-sitting Magic Sassy (Gord Brown) before the stretch. As a result, Warrawee Kava (Aaron Byron) and Ill Wait For You (Trevor Ritchie) inherited the final cheques.
The win was Elusive Desire’s ninth in 15 starts this season lifting her earnings to $573,102. The winner of 12 races lifetime is nearing the million dollar mark in earnings having banked $969,006 to date for trainer Mike Keeling and P C Wellwood Enterprises Inc. of Cambridge, Charles Armstrong of Brampton and Robert Fasken of Oakville, Ont. The Angus Hall-Valley Amber filly also won the Gold final on July 11 at Georgian Downs.
The top 10 point earners from the five-event regular season will meet up for the last time on November 14 at Woodbine Racetrack in their $300,000 Super Final.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click here.