CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Completely oblivious to the cool September evening, Cincinnati Kid scorched around Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday to post a new Ontario Sires Stakes record and match the two-year-old trotting colt track record of 1:56.1.

The Angus Hall son and driver Jack Moiseyev sat in the middle of the nine horse field through much of the mile and then put the pedal to the metal to reel in pacesetter, and heavy favourite, Eilean Donon at the wire for the second week in a row.

“About two or three weeks ago he was probably the greenest colt I had ever drove and all of a sudden the last couple of weeks he has learned to be a racehorse,” said Moiseyev. “He’s leaving now, he is good gaited, his mind is getting set, and it is showing on the racetrack. He’s going to be a nice trotter in weeks to come and I’m not surprised that he went in 1:56.1.”

Moiseyev drives Cincinnati Kid for trainer Anne Schlichtig and owner Fred Monteleone Stable LLC of Pompano Beach, FL. Through his last four starts the young trotter has been showing steady improvement, finishing third in a division of the Champlain Stakes on Sept. 1, third in his Campbellville Stakes elimination on Sept. 8 and capturing the $483,200 Campbellville Final with a 1:59 effort over a sloppy track on Sept. 15. Thursday’s win improved his record to two wins and two thirds in five stars and boosted his lifetime earnings to $284,245.

Eilean Donon settled for the runner-up’s share of the $53,556 purse and Beardmore hung on for third. Salute A and Angus Scot also advanced to the Oct. 2 Gold Final from the first elimination.

In the second elimination Grand Sovereign and Mike Saftic surprised Mohawk fans and race favourites In Conchnito and Steve Condren with a gate-to-wire performance in 1:57.4. Sent off as the fans’s fifth choice, the Royal Strength son hit the wire one and a quarter lengths up on In Conchnito and How Is That Fair.

“He is a nice colt. I qualified him a few months ago for Budd (Thorne). I liked him right off, and then he got sick and missed the first couple of months of the year,” said Saftic after the race. “Budd has Grassrooted him a little bit, bravened him up, and I think he is ready to play now.”

Fergus resident Budd Thorne shares ownership on Grand Sovereign with Terry Taylor of Whitby, John Baker of Brampton and Robert Rombough of Mississauga. The partners have been impressed with the gelding since his early lessons and were not surprised to see him add a Gold Elimination win to his resume of one win and one second in Grassroots action, and a pair of thirds in the Gold Series.

Armbro Balance and Coventry round out the starters in next Thursday’s $130,000 Gold Final.

Ontario Sires Stakes action continues at Mohawk Racetrack this Monday, Sept. 29 with a $130,000 Gold Series Final for the two-year-old pacing colts and a pair of Gold Eliminations for the three-year-old trotting colts.