Ontario's two-year-old trotting fillies stepped into the limelight at Flamboro Downs on Sunday evening and laid down four impressive Gold Elimination miles.
Daylon Mystique matched the 1:59.4 clocking she achieved in the Bud Light Stakes, scoring her second victory in equally impressive fashion.
With trainer Wayne Henry at the lines, the daughter of Amigo Hall - Daylon Marvel went straight to the front and never faced a challenge as she cruised through fractions of :29.2, 1:00, and 1:30.3 on her way to the 1:59.4 triumph.
Paycheck Lavec finished three and three-quarter lengths back in second to earn a berth in the $120,000 Gold Final, and Magical Debut was seven lengths to the rear in third. Daylon Mystique's 1:59.4 effort came within one-fifth of a second of the two-year-old trotting filly track and Ontario Sires Stakes record Birminghim set in 2005.
An $18,000 purchase from the Forest City Yearling Sale last fall, Daylon Mystique has already earned $39,476 for the Henry Stable of Arthur and Daniel McCann of Parkhill.
The third $40,000 Gold Elimination also went to a daughter of first year sire Amigo Hall. Emulating Henry, trainer-driver George Zirnis took Justwin straight to the front of the freshman filly field and flounced home two lengths ahead of the competition in 2:01.2.
Lady Wildcat closed well to nudge Wayne Henry and Town Hall Babe into third-place, and earn her spot on the gate in next Sunday's OSS Gold Series Final.
Brian Newman of Chatsworth bred and owns Justwin, who finished second in her Bud Light division at Flamboro Downs last weekend. While the filly's first start was flawed by an early break, her Gold elimination effort was without an error and sets her up as one of the favourites for the OSS Gold Series Final.
Driver Rick Zeron piloted the winners of the other two Gold eliminations, earning Striking Fashion and Cumin First some shiny provincial hardware in their first lifetime starts.
In the first elimination Zeron gave Striking Fashion a classic pocket trip, sliding around leader Oaklea Rae in the last turn and trotting home to the 2:01.4 victory over fan favourite Keep In Dutch and Napanee Seelster.
Rene Laarman trains Striking Fashion for Melvin Hartman of Ottawa and Charles Armstrong of Brampton.
The Striking Sahbra daughter was a $54,000 acquisition at the Forest City Sale and prepped for Sunday's debut with a pair of solid qualifiers at Mohawk Racetrack on June 30 and July 7.
Saddled with the outside Post 7 in the last elimination, Cumin First had to employ come from behind tactics to earn her 2:02.4 victory.
Sitting third through the first half of the mile, Zeron tipped Cumin First to the outside heading for the three-quarters and had wrested control of the race away from early pacesetter Daring Original well before the final turn.
Although Pajama Land sprinted down the stretch, she was unable to catch Cumin First, who sailed under the wire one and three-quarter lengths to the good. Simply Sterling, bred, owned, trained and driven by Roy Jeffries of Campbellville, was 15 lengths back in third.
Mary Anne Lauzon and Dr. Ruth Irving of Russell, Jim Fielding of Toronto and John Jesson of Tillsonburg acquired Cumin First for $77,000 at the Twos in Training Sale on June 8 and left her in the care of trainer Frank O'Reilly, who qualified the Striking Sahbra miss three times in preparation for her Ontario Sires Stakes debut.
The top two finishers from each of the eliminations will return to Flamboro Downs on Sunday, July 20 for their $120,000 OSS Gold Series Final.
(OSS)
To view Sunday's results, click here.