WINDSOR, ON — When Ontario’s highly talented two-year-old trotting colts return to Windsor Raceway on Sunday for their second $130,000 Gold Final, trainer Bob McIntosh is hoping that seven continues to be In Conchnito’s lucky number.
The King Conch son posted an impressive 1:59.3 victory, the fastest of four eliminations, from Post 7 last weekend and finds himself back at Post 7 for this week’s $130,000 Final.
“I would rather have been inside, but you play the cards you’re dealt,” says La Salle resident McIntosh, who owns the homebred colt with Dave Boyle of Bowmanville and CSX Stables of Liberty Center, OH. “And, as I said, it looks like a handicapped race — all the winners are on the outside.”
Ironically, In Conchnito will be joined on the outer half of the starting gate by the other three elimination winners, Savannah Sirius at Post 6, Lucky George from Post 8 and Eilean Donon from the outside Post 9.
Steve Condren will once again take up his position behind In Conchnito and McIntosh says the veteran reinsman has been impressed with the colt in his first three starts this season.
“Steve really likes this colt. He was very happy with him in the elimination, as I was,” says the top trainer in the 2001 and 2002 Ontario Sires Stakes seasons. “When Steve gave him the word the colt had lots of trot. He trotted to the wire quite confidently.”
Condren also qualified McIntosh trainee Tyrone Burberry for Sunday’s Final, but will hand over the lines to Chris Christoforou this week. Christoforou will send Tyrone Burberry after a share of the $130,000 purse from Post 4, hoping to match or improve on the youngster’s runner-up finish in the elimination round.
“He was first up without cover for half the race and he stayed at it real honest,” says McIntosh. “He stayed at it right to the wire. I was pleased, he looked like a racehorse.”
Although Tyrone Burberry, bred by McIntosh’s co-owner Dave Boyle, had been a steady performer throughout the early season the trainer was not sure is he would overcome Post 8 in the elimination round.
“He trained awful good last week, so he looked like he was coming around,” says the trainer. “But I really wasn’t sure what he could do.”
McIntosh adds that the inside post will benefit Tyrone Burberry in the talented field, which also includes reigning Gold Final champion How Is That Fair from Post 3.
Windsor Raceway’s first race parades onto the five-eighths mile oval at 6:30 pm on Sunday evening and the two-year-old trotting colts resume their Gold Series rivalry in Race 11.