DUNDAS, ON — Ontario’s talented two-year-old trotting fillies put on an exciting show for Flamboro Downs fans on Wednesday evening, and in the end it was Flirting Lavec who captured the $130,000 Gold Final with a 2:02 effort.
Zorgwijk Empress blasted off the gate from Post 6 to capture the early lead and was on top by three and a half lengths when she hit the quarter pole in :29. Heading toward the 1:01 half Trevor Ritchie sent Flirting Lavec after the lead and Bud Fritz moved Zorgwijk Emani up the outside on her heels. At the 1:30.4 three-quarters the fillies were neck and neck, but Flirting Lavec prevailed and powered away to the four and one-quarter length victory. Zorgwijk Emani stayed game to finish second and Incredible Mother picked up the third-place finisher’s share.
Stephen Bossence owns and trains Flirting Lavec, who now sports a record of three wins and one second in five starts and pushed her earnings to $96,606 with the win. The London resident acquired the Mr Lavec filly from last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale for $21,000.
Flamboro Downs fans did an impressive job handicapping the Gold Final. They selected Flirting Lavec as their first choice, Zorgwijk Emani as their third choice and Incredible Mother as their fourth choice. Second choice Fiesty Kindof Luv’s early miscue was the only element that kept fans from making a perfect prediction of the race outcome.
As a result, Flirting Lavec returned $5.20 to win, $2.40 to place and $2.50 to show, Zorgwijk Emani paid $3.30 to place and $2.40 to show and Incredible Mother returned $3.50. An exactor play using last week’s elimination winners Flirting Lavec and Zorgwijk Emani was worth $9.70 and adding Incredible Mother to the triactor ticket added $28.60 to your pocketbook.
The talented two-year-old trotting lasses now enjoy a three and a half week break from Ontario Sires Stakes action which will see many of them head to Mohawk Racetrack for Grand Circuit contests like the Champlain and Oakville Stakes. The fillies make their third Gold Series start at Windsor Raceway on Sept. 21.
Flamboro Downs fans also get a brief break from Ontario Sires Stakes excitement as the provincial program does not return to the Dundas oval until Sept. 19 when the two-year-old pacing fillies bring their high speed show to town for Gold Eliminations.