The Northern Dude and Cold Certified dominated their fellow three-year-old trotting colts and geldings in a pair of $40,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold eliminations on Sunday evening at Flamboro Downs.
With Chris Christoforou in the bike, Susie Kerwood trainee The Northern Dude established the lead from post three in the first elim and carved out fractions of :28.4, :58.3, and 1:28.1 en route to victory in a career-best 1:57. Cimeronken (Billy Davis Jr.) followed over one length behind from the pocket. Amigo Ranger (Wayne MacLean), Good Sound Advice (Trevor Ritchie) and favourite Heres The Magic (Sylvain Filion) finished third through fifth.
The Northern Dude paid $10.40 to win as the 4-1 second choice. The Ken Warkentin-L R Alleys Concern colt is owned by Kerwood, breeder Ann Munn of Guelph, Ont. and David Nicol of Mount Hope, Ont. He earned a victory at the Grassroots level earlier this year in Sudbury along with a second place Grassroots finish at Grand River Raceway and now boasts three wins on his 13-race career record with $69,650 banked in purse earnings.
In the following elim, favourite Cold Certified cruised through fractions of :28.3, :58 and 1:27.3 before hitting the wire in 1:56.4 for the two length triumph with Jason Brewer in the sulky. Yackety Yak (Anthony MacDonald) finished second over pocket-sitter Mikey Hanover (Paul MacDonell). Keystone Orion (Dave Boughton) and Somebody As (Billy Davis Jr.) finished fourth and fifth.
Cold Certified paid $4.50 to win. The Kadabra-I Like Stephanie gelding, a Gold elimination winner at Western Fair Raceway and Georgian Downs earlier this year and runner-up in the London final, is trained by Gary Lance for owners Trevor Lance, Sandy Moulton and GLL Racing Inc. of Port Perry, and Brian Samis of Uxbridge, Ont. The victory was his sixth in 13 career starts and bumped his lifetime earnings to $179,013.
Here is a look at how the field will line up for the $130,000 Gold Final next Sunday, August 12 at Flamboro:
1. Yackety Yak
2. Cold Certified
3. Mikey Hanover
4. Keystone Orion
5. The Northern Dude
6. Good Sound Advice
7. Cimeronken
8. Amigo Ranger
AE1. Heres The Magic
AE2. Somebody As
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.