Sunday’s $130,000 Gold Series Final at Rideau Carleton Raceway will be the fourth time in the last month that OK Boromir and Stonebridge Terror
have gone head-to-head in stakes action.
Their first match-up, an elimination of the Upper Canada Cup at Georgian Downs on May 16, saw OK Boromir keep a neck in front of Stonebridge Terror for the win. One week later Stonebridge Terror captured the Upper Canada Cup Final, while OK Boromir suffered interference and was placed ahead from seventh to sixth. Drawing into the same Gold elimination at Rideau Carleton last Sunday, the pair staged another stretch battle and once again OK Boromir came out on top, this time by a head.
“The guy that works for Jack Darling said, ‘Is this going to be the way it is all year?’” recalls OK Boromir’s trainer and co-owner Frank Baker, Jr. “I said, ‘I sure hope it works out that way, finishing one, two all year.’”
The colts’ burgeoning rivalry will be spotlighted in Sunday’s Gold Final, as they line up side-by-side in the centre of the Rideau Carleton oval — OK Boromir at Post 5 and Stonebridge Terror at Post 6.
“That was a pretty good mile they went the other night over that track,” notes Baker, who shares ownership on OK Boromir with Wray and Janet Wilson of Thorndale. “It was only four degrees when they went; that’s (1:52.3) a pretty decent mile.”
OK Boromir’s early season success has delighted the Thamesford resident, who was disappointed with the way the No Pan Intended son wrapped up his freshman career. After delivering an impressive victory in his career opening Gold Series performance, and following it up with a second in the Gold Final, OK Boromir failed to win another race all season. The colt accumulated $102,800 in earnings through 10 starts, but never achieved the heights his owners had envisioned after his first few starts.
At the end of the 2008 season Baker gave the colt two months off, starting him back in harness in mid-January. The horseman says the time off seemed to benefit the youngster, who was quick to regain his fitness.
“He never got a whole lot taller, but he definitely filled out where he needed to. He’s a thicker horse, and he’s a better pacer because of it,” explains the trainer. “He was real easy to bring back. He was running around playing a lot outside.”
Baker adds that OK Boromir’s enthusiasm for outdoor play makes him an easy horse to keep fit. With the colt heading into his fifth start in five weeks, and with a stakes laden summer ahead, Baker’s focus is now on maintaining the colt’s physical and mental fitness.
“He doesn’t require a whole lot of training. He’s outside every day on grass, and he plays a lot in the field,” says the horseman. “I train him a slow trip a couple of days out, just to keep him in shape, and we keep up on his blood and keep him hydrated. He doesn’t need a whole lot of work that big horse.”
Mark MacDonald stood in for regular reinsman Luc Ouellette for last week’s elimination win, but with Ouellette home from his drive in Sweden’s prestigious Elitlopp Trot, OK Boromir’s regular pilot will be back in the race bike.
“Mark did a good job with him, but he has other barns he is committed to, I’m not going to be able to get him all the time,” explains Baker. “Luc is willing to stick with him (OK Boromir) all year.”
The pair will be looking to boost OK Boromir’s record of two wins and one second through four starts, and claim the colt’s first stakes final trophy, in the seventh race on the Rideau Carleton Raceway program. Post time for the Ottawa oval’s Sunday evening card is 6:30 p.m.
$130,000 OSS Gold Series – 3CP
1. Mild Mannered
2. Blue Suede Shoes
3. Fast Pay
4. Shady Cam
5. OK Boromir .
6. Stonebridge Terror
7. L H Remachable
8. Primary Purpose
9. My Gift To You
(OSS)