Buckhams Bay has been the dominant force in the two-year-old trotting ranks among Ontario-bred colts and geldings this season, and it was more of the same at Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday evening
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The rookies rolled into Campbellville, ON to do battle in a set of $40,000 O.S.S. Gold Series eliminations, with the top five finishers advancing to next Thursday’s final.
Buckhams Bay, who started the night with 275 Gold Series points, pushed that number to 325 thanks to a 1:57 score in the opening elimination for the tandem of driver Jacques Hebert and trainer John Smith.
Hebert hustled the strapping son of Ken Warkentin-Merles Image to immediate command, and the colt successfully chopped out fractions of :28, :58.1 and 1:28 before slipping home in a :29-second clip en route to the 1:57 triumph. Sim Brown (Randy Waples) was a solid runner-up in his second start with trotting hopples, and third prize went to Delcrest Julian (Anthony MacDonald).
Purchased earlier this season by Courant Ab of Halmstad, SWE, Buckhams Bay has assembled a 6-1-0 record in the first seven starts of his career. The $20,000 payday bumped his bankroll to $265,000
Imperial Count took a new lifetime mark of 1:57.2 in the second elimination for the team of driver Steve Condren and trainer Kevin O’Reilly. The son of Angus Hall-Miss Imperial brushed to the lead in the backstretch and served up middle splits of :58 and 1:27.3 before kicking home in :29.4 to seal the deal over Air Stewart (Randy Waples) and Tymal Colossus (Mark MacDonald).
Neven Botica of Perth, AUL owns youngster, who now boasts a 3-1-2 record through the first eight starts of his career. The $37,000 Lexington Select Yearling Sale purchase has banked more than $155,000 to date. Imperial Count ranks second on the Gold Series leader board with 187 points.
The youngsters will line up behind the starting gate for the rich final next Thursday evening at Woodbine Racetrack. Here are the results of the post position draw:
$130,000 O.S.S. Gold Series Final
1. Attorney Hanover
2. Air Stewart
3. Tymal Colossus
4. Delcrest Julian
5. Edit
6. Plato
7. Sim Brown
8. Imperial Count
9. Buckhams Bay
10. Max Money
To view Thursday’s results, click here.