Cheap Motel and St Lads Popcorn came away with victories in their respective $40,000 OSS Gold Series eliminations for two-year-old pacing fillies at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday evening, but they didn't have much luck in the post position draw for next week's final.
Cheap Motel has drawn Post 8 for the big money event, and St Lads Popcorn will start next door in Post 9.
Cheap Motel pulled off an 11-1 upset in her elimination for the duo of trainer Rod Boyd and driver Randy Waples.
The daughter of Grinfromeartoear, who used off-the-pace tactics en route to posting the win, roared home in :26.4 to post the 1:53.3 decision. Icey Breeze was second and Shacked Up, who was sent off as the 1-5 favourite, recovered from a top of the stretch miscue to finish third.
Owned by Bulletproof Enterprises of Boca Raton, FL, Cheap Motel won for the second time in just six tries, and pushed her earnings to $39,345 in the process.
St Lads Popcorn continued her domination of the division for trainer Jack Darling and driver Jason Brewer, who teamed up to win the second elimination in a time of 1:52.2 with the daughter of Twin B Champ.
The precocious pacer got away in mid-pack before brushing to the top around the final turn. Her :28.1 final quarter was good enough to give her the half-length victory over Northern Duchess. Shellace rounded out the top three.
St Lads Popcorn, who is owned by Jack Darling Stables Ltd. of Cambridge, ON, has put together a 7-1-0 record and earnings of $316,323 in her first nine assignments.
The top five finishers from each of Monday's eliminations will return to Mohawk Racetrack next Monday evening for the final.
$120,000 OSS Gold Series Final
1. Arts Star
2. Shellace
3. Terroronthebeach
4. Intrepid Breeze
5. Shacked Up
6. Rose Seelster
7. Icey Breeze
8. Cheap Motel
9. St Lad Popcorn
10. Northern Duchess
To view Monday's results, click here.