Two-year-old pacing filly Lauren picked up her second $130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final title with a gritty effort over the Kawartha Downs oval on Saturday
evening.
Starting from the outside Post 8, driver Steve Condren hustled Lauren away from the start and had staked his claim to a spot on the rail in third by the time Village Janus (Aaron Byron) reached the opening quarter in :28.1. As Village Janus powered toward a :57.4 half, Condren sent Lauren up the outside and was quickly followed by Stonebridge Damsel (Jack Moiseyev), reigning Gold Final champ Monkey On My Wheel (Robert Shepherd), and Imagine Semalu (Simon Allard).
Village Janus was still in front at the 1:25.4 three-quarters, but Lauren had cut her lead to less than a length and was gearing up for a late sprint. Imagine Semalu and Monkey On My Wheel mounted a three-wide challenge at the three-quarter marker, but Lauren dug in and sprinted away to a one and three-quarter length victory in 1:55.
Fan favourite Monkey On My Wheel had to settle for the runner-up’s share in her second Gold Final appearance, half a length ahead of Stonebridge Damsel.
Hall of Fame horseman Bob McIntosh of Windsor, Ont. conditions Lauren for owner-breeders Gordon and Claudia Wright of Charlotte, Michigan. Through 11 lifetime starts the daughter of Modern Art and One Cadet has accumulated eight wins and one second, banking $250,256.
Lauren made her first Gold Series start in the Aug. 8 eliminations at Rideau Carleton Raceway, where she and Milton, Ont. resident Condren overcame a sloppy oval to score a victory. In the Gold Final one week later the filly got a neck in front at the wire to claim her first provincial title. After a fifth-place finish in a division of the Sept. 11 Champlain Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack, Lauren scored her third straight Ontario Sires Stakes win at Mohawk with a Gold elimination victory in a personal best 1:53. She finished second in the Sept. 25 Gold Final, caught in deep stretch by Monkey On My Wheel. In last week’s Gold elimination at Kawartha Downs, the talented youngster once again found her way to the winner’s circle with a 1:54.3 score.
The half-sister to $453,585 winner Gro and $263,383 winner Gar sits well atop the two-year-old pacing filly division standings with 275 points. Monkey On My Wheel currently sits in second spot with 125 points.
The two-year-old pacing fillies will wrap up their regular season at Mohawk and Woodbine Racetracks this month — Gold eliminations go postward at Mohawk on Oct. 15 and the Gold Final will be contested at Woodbine Racetrack on Oct. 22.
Kawartha Downs will host the regular season finale for the three-year-old trotting colts, who arrive in town for Gold Elimination action on Oct. 26 and square off in their last $130,000 Gold Final on Nov. 2.
A pair of $7,000 The Bride To Be Pacing Series second leg divisions for fillies and mares also took place on Saturday at Kawartha. Astrmowin (1:58.4) repeat for driver Robert Shepherd, trainer Bruce Goit and owner Bonnie Goit of Waterford, Ont. while Anvil Annie (2:00.3) broke her maiden in line to Gord Brown for trainer George Graham and owner-breeder Calvin Yake of Cameron, Ont.
To view Saturday's results, click here.
(With files from OSS)