WINDSOR, ON — Sunday evening’s three-year-old trotting colt Gold Eliminations at Windsor Raceway featured a pair of upsets that make next weekend’s Gold Final a wide open affair.
With the absence of early favourite Meadowview Sunny, who was scratched due to illness from the first elimination, fans sent Hawaiian Clipper off as their top choice from Post 5. The Balanced Image son and driver Keith Oliver gave their supporters plenty to cheer about through the early stages of the race, rolling through fractions of :27.3, :58.2 and 1:28.3.
As the field turned for home Hawaiian Clipper was still on top by more than one length, but the field had him in their sights. Three colts reeled him in by the time they reached the wire with Paul Mackenzie and Semi Spot getting up for the 1:58.4 win by three-quarters of a length over Snoops Bytes. Achieved Victory earned the third-place finisher’s share of the $52,617 Ontario Sires Stakes purse.
Fans who had opted for Semi Spot earned $19.10 for a win ticket, $7.10 to place and $3.10 to show. Snoops Bytes returned $4.40 and $3.00, while Achieved Victory paid $2.80 to show. The Semi Spot-Snoops Bytes exactor was worth $155.80 and adding Achieved Victory to a triactor ticket earned a total of $468.70.
Kirby MacDonald trains Semi Spot for owner-breeders Kathlyn MacDonald of Paris, Walter Bauer of Brantford and Gary Silliphant of Simcoe. The partners have earned $56,148 from their colt’s 10 starts this season. The King Conch son has five wins, two seconds and one third to his credit and was fifth in the elimination and fourth in the Final of the season opening Gold Series at Mohawk Racetrack in May. Sunday’s 1:58.4 score was a personal best for Semi Spot, who has raced primarily over Flamboro Downs’ half-mile oval since beginning his career this spring.
The other division featured an upset of smaller proportions as second choice JM Vangogh outsprinted favourite Amigo Hall to the wire to record the 1:57.2 victory by a head. Robert McIntosh trainee Ethen Seelster took the colts through a sedate :29.1 opening quarter, then relinquished the lead to Amigo Hall who carried on to a :59.2 half and 1:28.1 three-quarters.
Heading for the three-quarter marker Hall Of Fame driver Ron Waples shook JM Vangogh awake and the pair had moved into the top spot as the colts turned for home. Amigo Hall battled hard down the stretch, but could not regain the lead and JM Vangogh was crowned the winner of the 1:57.2 mile.
Waples trains the Earl son for Paul Chambers of Harrington, DE and John Mello of Georgetown, MA and is steadily putting together an impressive season for the colt. From seven 2003 starts JM Vangogh now has four wins to his credit — including a Gold Elimination victory and a 1:54.4 score at Woodbine Racetrack on June 23 — and two thirds.
Fans opting for JM Vangogh banked $7.20, $3.40 and $2.70 for their trouble, while those who went with favourite Amigo Hall earned $2.40 and $2.10. Third-place finisher At A Boy Eric paid $5.60 and fourth-place finisher Indiancamp PA will also advance to the July 6 Gold Final.
One of fifth-place finishers Jayport Express and Captain Brady will also return to Windsor for the $130,000 Final, but will have to wait to see if their names are drawn from the hat next Thursday.