REXDALE, ON — Randy Waples qualified three two-year-old pacing colts for Thursday night’s Gold Final at Woodbine Racetrack, two elimination winners and a runner-up, and hours after the draw on Monday afternoon the Milton resident was still struggling to decide which one he would drive in the $130,000 Final.
“Putasmileon is head and shoulders above the rest right now, but that’s not to say I’ll be driving him,” says Waples. “Management wise it’s probably better if I went with Apache Limo because I know him and he’s a tough horse to drive. I’ll have to talk it over with Bill tonight.”
Putasmileon, Apache Limo and Cozy Xample all hail from the Bill Robinson barn, along with Dreamfair Legend who will be driven for the second week by Mario Baillargeon. Apache Limo will start from Post 1, Dreamfair Legend from Post 4, Cozy Xample from Post 6 and Putasmileon from Post 8 in the fifth race, and Waples has high praise for all four of the young pacers.
“I couldn’t ask for nicer horses than what Bill is putting out there,” says the 37-year-old, who has driven the winners of $4,866,367 so far this season. “It puts a smile on my face just thinking about it.”
At this early stage in the colt’s career Waples compares Putasmileon with Real Desire, a $3.3 million winner that he handled during the colt’s early season campaigns at two and three.
“He’s as close to Real Desire as I’ve driven since Real Desire,” says Waples. “He’s a very special colt and I think he’s going to do some pretty wondrous things this year.”
A son of Grinfromeartoear, Putasmileon was a $40,000 US purchase out of the Kentucky Standardbred Yearling Sale last fall by the Fred Monteleone Stable LLC of Pompano Beach, FL. A 2:00.1 winner in his June 14 qualifier at Mohawk Racetrack, the colt made his racing debut on July 1 at Georgian Downs where he romped to an eight length 1:56.2 victory in a Grassroots division. In last week’s elimination he recorded a 1:55.4 score complete with a :27 last quarter.
Apache Limo’s elimination victory was clocked in an identical 1:55.4, but Waples used a very different strategy to get the Apaches Fame son to the winner’s circle.
“Apache Limo has really high speed and a really great attitude, but he’s just kind of tricky. He’s one step away from being a hot colt, maybe too hot,” says the driver. “He’s got some wicked power, but he needs to be settled off the gate, saving his best race for the end.”
CMR Farms of Hagersville own Apache Limo, who was a bargain $13,500 at the Canadian Classic Yearling Sale last fall. He also captured a Grassroots division at Georgian Downs on Canada Day and last week’s elimination victory pushed his balance sheet well into the black.
Narrowing his decision to the two elimination winner was easy for Waples for one reason, Cozy Xample will make just his second start on Thursday and the reinsman is concerned that he may not be ready for the speed a winning mile will require.
“He’s also a really nice colt, but it will only be his second lifetime start and I have a feeling they’re going to go in 1:53 or 1:54,” he explains. “I think it might take a couple of starts until people see the best of Cozy Xample.”
A son of Camluck and superstar mare So Cozy, Cozy Xample is owned by breeder Robert Hamather of Exeter.
Waples also feels that fans will see the best of Dreamfair Legend after Thursday’s battle, noting that the Rustler Hanover son does not have the early maturity that his $1 million winning half-sibling Dreamfair Vogel did at two.
“He’s a real, real high speed colt, but he’s kind of erratic right now. I think he’ll be a top colt, but more toward the middle or the end of the year. He kind of wants to do things his own way right now,” says Waples, adding that Baillargeon got along very well with the colt in the elimination round. “I think he’s faster than Vogel, but he just doesn’t have the manners of Vogel, and that’s what separates the good ones from the average ones at that level.”
Breeders John and Mary Lamers of Ingersoll own Dreamfair Legend, who finished third behind Putasmileon, but was placed ahead to second when Dangerous Fame made a break at the wire.
Robinson’s talented quartet will vie for the Gold Final title with six other gifted youngsters in the fifth race on Thursday. Woodbine Racetrack sends its first race to the post at 7:40 pm.