After a disappointing result in the Hambletonian, three-year-old trotting colt Knows Nothing returned to the Ontario Sires Stakes program last week and captured his first Gold elimination in trademark sharp-finishing style.
“It was a bit disappointing, but that happens,” says owner Mac Nichol of the colt’s fifth-place result in the Hambletonian. “He picked a bad time to get his air cut off. It would have been awesome if he was himself. It would’ve been a nice one to win.”
Mohawk Racetrack fans forgave the colt his second lifetime loss and sent him off as the heavy favourite in last week’s Gold Elimination. With Post 5 for this Saturday’s $130,000 Gold Final, Knows Nothing is once again expected to be at the top of the odds board.
“I think Post 5 and 6, to me, are two of the better posts at the races,” reflects Nichol, who shares ownership of the colt with trainer Jeff Gillis of Hillsburgh, Ont., Al Libfeld of Pickering, Ont., Marvin Katz of Toronto, Ont. and Gerald Stay of Buffalo, New York. “You are right in the middle of the pack, you can leave or sit back, pick your spot. It’s a good position to be in.”
From Post 7 in last week’s elimination, Knows Nothing took command early and sprinted home to a two-length victory in 1:53.2. While Nichol cannot predict what sort of trip reinsman Jody Jamieson will style in the final, the Burlington resident is confident the colt will be hustling at the wire.
“He likes to come flying at the end,” says the owner. “There are not too many trotters you get coming home in 27 seconds. It’s almost like having a good pacer.”
Since capturing a Grassroots division at Mohawk on May 21 in his fourth lifetime start, Knows Nothing has laid down six sub-:28 final quarters. The only anomaly came in the Hambletonian where he trotted home in :29.4.
“He’s a big, strong, happy trotter,” says Nichol. “We’re excited with him, that’s for sure.”
Knows Nothing’s sophomore success — eight wins, one fourth and one fifth in 10 starts for earnings of $313,609 — has vindicated a choice the partners made to take their time with the youngster last summer. The son of Kadabra and Savvy Yankee had a bone chip removed as a two-year-old and Gillis thought enough of the youngster’s potential to pull even the vague possibility of a freshman campaign off the table.
“Jeff figured if we pushed him we could end up hurting him, so he decided we should wait,” recalls Nichol. “He was great right from the get go training down.
“He’s a fair size and he’s a beautiful looking animal. Conformation-wise you can’t find anything wrong with him,” Nichol adds. “And obviously, now he shows that he’s got a big motor, too.”
Knows Nothing will put his big motor to work against a field of 10 on Saturday that includes last year’s Super Final champion and fellow Hambletonian starter Prestidigitator at Post 4 and reigning Gold Final champion Keystone Orion from Post 7.
The three-year-old trotting colt Gold Final opens an outstanding evening of racing at Mohawk. Following the $130,000 Gold Final in Race 1, the Campbellville oval hosts one elimination for the Canadian Pacing Derby for aged pacers, two eliminations for the Shes A Great Lady Stakes for freshman pacing fillies, and three eliminations for the Metro Pace for two-year-old pacing colts. Post time for Saturday’s talent laden program is 7:10 p.m.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Mohawk, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Mohawk Racetrack.
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