Define The World delivered a commanding performance at Windsor Raceway on Wednesday evening to earn his third Gold Final title - one more than rival B Strike Three.
Heading into Wednesday's event the three-year-old trotters were tied with two Gold Final titles apiece, and B Strike Three had a 42 point lead in the division point standings. With his impressive 1:55.4 triumph, Define The World earned one more trophy than his rival and tied up the point race - both horses head into the Nov. 15 Super Final with 283 regular season points.
Starting from Post 4, driver Paul MacDonell fired Define The World off the starting gate, and the Duke Of York son was at the quarter pole in :27.4. Nureyev and Mark MacDonald launched an early challenge, but Define The World was all alone on the front end by the :57 half.
One and three-quarter lengths ahead of the field at the 1:26.2 three-quarters, Define The World accelerated around the final turn and down the stretch to score a three and a half length victory.
Nureyev stayed game in the pocket and earned the runner-up's share of the $180,000 Gold Final purse, while Elegant Hall travelled a long way on the outside to earn third-place honours. B Strike Three settled for fourth in his first Ontario Sires Stakes start since August, and Mccarron rounded out the point earners.
Peterborough resident John Bax conditions Define The World for breeder Al Libfeld of Pickering, Ont. Through 21 sophomore starts the gelding has tallied 12 wins and five seconds and banked $586,639. In addition to three Gold Finals, the talented young trotter has also recorded victories in two Gold Eliminations, a Gold Consolation, the Simcoe Stakes and the Canadian Breeders Championship Final.
Wednesday's outing was the gelding's first since he took on North America's best trotters in the Oct. 4 Kentucky Futurity at Lexington, Kentucky's Red Mile, finishing seventh in the first heat and fourth in the second heat.
The top 10 point earners from the Gold Series regular season will now enjoy a two week break in their schedule to prepare for the $300,000 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack on Nov. 15.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement continues at Windsor Raceway on Wednesday, Nov. 5 with Trillium Series action for the gifted three-year-old pacing fillies.
To view Wednesday's results, click here.
(OSS)