A trio of $40,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series eliminations were contested at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday evening, as the Campbellville oval rolled out the
red carpet for the province’s top freshmen trotting fillies.
Fresh off her win in the $525,800 final of the Merrie Annabelle at The Meadowlands, Poof Shes Gone cruised to a sharp victory in her $40,000 elimination for the team of trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman and driver David Miller. The daughter of Kadabra-Travelin Superlite used off-the-pace tactics to win in 1:56.2.
Sooner Than Later and Random Destiny butted heads to a :28-second opening quarter before the latter cleared to the top. That filly held the top spot through middle splits of :57.4 and 1:27.1 before being confronted and later overtaken by race favourite Poof Shes Gone. She opened up while under wraps to Miller, and the pair drew off to win by more than four lengths over Random Destiny. Isthatallyagot recovered from a gapped off start to finish third.
“I was able to sit until past the half, and she was able to take it first up,” said driver David Miller. “She did that fairly easy. I was hoping to get the job done without racing her awful hard, and it worked out. I’ve liked her right along, she’s been good to me all along. She has the Champlain and then the Peaceful Way after that.”
Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman, David McDuffee and John Fielding share ownership on the daughter of Kadabra-Travelin Superlite, who has banked $294,700 to date. She was a $170,000 purchase from last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
Second time starter Angostura weaved her way through traffic in the lane to take the second elimination for teamster Trevor Ritchie in a career-best clocking of 1:58. The daughter of Angus Hall-Peluso took the field to the quarter pole in :28.3 before giving way to Yoadrien and sitting the pocket trip behind that foe through panels of :58.3 and 1:29.1.
When the leader started to tire, Ritchie angled his charge off the rail and sought out racing room. A seam was found in deep stretch, and the Dan Creighton pupil knew exactly what to do when given the opportunity to step forward. She fired home in :28.1 to win by more than a length over Windcross. Oaklea Samantha rounded out the top three.
“She was really good, I talked to Dan [trainer Dan Creighton] before the races and he was very high on her,” said driver Trevor Ritchie. “He said she was a sweetheart to drive, and he was right. She really likes to go forward. When the gate sprung she wanted to go out. I was maybe not going to leave with her, but she towed me out of there a little bit so I let her get around to the front. But once she got to the front she relaxed well. When I popped her loose at the head of the lane she trotted on strong. She went right through the wire; she was trotting as strong at the wire as any part of the mile.”
Danterra Racing Stable of Strathroy, ON holds the papers on the lightly-raced youngster, who was a $30,000 purchase at last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale. The filly has banked $32,000 to date.
The biggest upsetter in Monday’s elimination round was Emmylou Who, who posted an 11-1 upset for trainer/driver Lyle MacArthur. The daughter of Ken Warkentin-Emerald Seelster rallied into a slowing back half pace en route to scoring the narrow victory in a career-best clocking of 1:58. Scottish Starlet was second best and Ruling Class rounded out the top three.
Purchased for $21,000 at last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, the filly has now banked $38,448 for the partnership of Linda Wellwood, Tammy Aspden, Anne Shunock and Diane Ingham.
Mohawk Racetrack will host the final next Monday evening, and here’s how the fillies will line up behind the starting gate:
$130,000 OSS Gold Series Final
1. Windcross
2. Warrawee Lassie
3. Random Destiny
4. Oaklea Samantha
5. Emmylou Who
6. Poof Shes Gone
7. Ruling Class
8. Isthatallyagot
9. Scottish Starlet
10. Angostura
To view Monday’s harness racing results, click here.