REXDALE, ON — Reigning Gold champion Armbro Warranty captured his third Gold Series trophy on Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack and the Village Jiffy son did it in record-breaking style, stopping the clock in 1:50.3 to shave two fifths of a second off the all-time Ontario Sires Stakes speed tab.
Saturday’s Gold Elimination was the first time driver Randy Waples had sat behind Armbro Warranty and the top reinsman was impressed with the colt’s speed and ability.
“I was told to drive him aggressive and that’s what I did,” said Waples after the race. “He’s got a big engine in him and once he gets going he’s hard to slow down. I was very impressed with him tonight.”
Leaving from the rail, Waples and Armbro Warranty landed in fourth spot through the early going, but were out and driving for the lead before the halfway marker. With early fractions of :26 and :54.4 as a foundation the duo reached the three-quarters in 1:22.4 and sailed home to the all-time OSS record in 1:50.3, lowering the 1:51 standard sophomore pacing colt Master Barney set in 1997 and filly Northern Cameo matched in 2001.
Fred Logan of Dutton trains Armbro Warranty and shares ownership on the winner of $207,540 with Petrina and Helen May Lawrence of Madison Heights and Ronald Lesky of Hazel Park, MI.
Silver D Moon and Dreamfair Vogel closed well to be second and third, while Daylon Frontier and Camystic also advanced to next Saturday’s $130,000 Gold Final.
In the first division Corona Grande made the leap up to the Gold Series a winning one with an impressive 1:51.4 score over favourite Pacific Titan and Firstline Luck. The Camluck colt got a textbook steer from driver Trevor Ritchie, sitting in behind Pacific Titan as that colt rolled through fractions of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:25.2 and then slipping by through the last turn to score the three-quarter length victory.
“We got off to a good start and the middle half was slow [:58.4], ” said Ritchie, who was driving the colt for the first time. “My horse swelled up in the hole and when I moved did he ever pace. Randy’s horse [Pacific Titan] was a bit crooked around the final turn so when I pulled I got the jump on him.”
Trainer Jack Darling of Windsor and Dan Smith of Dorchester own Corona Grande who has never been defeated in Ontario Sires Stakes action, capturing the Grassroots Championship at two and leading the division again this season with a pair of victories.
Luckyisasluckydoes and Three Ron Homer finished fourth and fifth in the opening Elimination and will also advance to the $130,000 Gold Final on Aug. 10.