Knows Nothing made his first start in the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series a winning one as he cruised to victory in the single 12-horse Gold elimination for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Saturday at Mohawk Racetrack.
Heading behind the gate, Reckon Im Ready (Mike Vanderkemp) made a break in stride and caused interference to the trailing Victim Of Changes (Rick Zeron) prompting a recall.
But the colts had no issues lining up the second time. When the wings of the gate folded, Prestidigitator (Sylvain Filion) fired to the lead from post four in the $40,000 elimination while race favourite Knows Nothing (Jody Jamieson) found himself parked out from the seven-hole, but drove and claimed the top spot past the :28.1 opening quarter mark.
Knows Nothing cruised past middle fractions of :56.3 and 1:26.1 while OSS division leader Cold Certified (John Campbell) advanced first over from mid-pack with Yackety Yak (Doug McNair) following from second over.
As the colts rounded the final turn, Knows Nothing opened up two lengths on top and left his foes chasing him to the wire. Knows Nothing stopped the clock in 1:53.2, just one-fifth of a second off his lifetime mark, with Prestidigitator following him under the wire for second. Keystone Orion (Dave Boughton) came on for third.
Finishing fourth through 10th for the remaining spots in the final were Mikey Hanover (Paul MacDonell), Amigo Ranger (Wayne MacLean), who recovered from an early miscue, Victim Of Changes, P L Fantastic (Randy Waples), Cold Certified, Yackety Yak, and The Northern Dude (Tim Tetrick).
Knows Nothing paid $3.10 to win. The Kadabra-Savvy Yankee colt, who rebounded from a fifth place finish in the Hambletonian, now boasts eight wins in 10 career starts and a bankroll totalling $313,609.
"Tonight he was two-fingers to drive. Back at home, back on Lasix, he was just a different horse tonight," commented Jamieson in the winner's circle. "Leading up into the Gold Final next weekend, the Canadian Trotting Classic and beyond, it looks like it's full speed ahead and it looks like it's going to be exciting."
Jeff Gillis of Hillsburgh, Ont. trains Knows Nothing for his J Gillis G Stay partnership, Al Libfeld of Pickering, Ont., Marvin Katz of Toronto, and Mac Nichol of Burlington, Ont.
Among Knows Nothing's wins are the Canadian Breeders Championship, the Tie Silk Final, an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots division and eliminations of the Goodtimes Trot and Hambletonian.
Here is a look at the field for the $130,000 Gold Final, which will be held on August 25 at Mohawk, in post position order:
1. Cold Certified
2. Amigo Ranger
3. Yackety Yak
4. Prestidigitator
5. Knows Nothing
6. Victim Of Changes
7. Keystone Orion
8. Mikey Hanover
9. Reckon Im Ready
10. The Northern Dude
AE1. Cimeronken
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.