CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Three-year-old trotting fillies For The Luva Moni and Queen Of Jewels both started from Post 1 in their Gold Eliminations at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday evening. Each filly followed her own path around the seven-eighths mile oval — For The Luva Moni coming from off the pace and Queen Of Jewels using a front-end strategy — but both emerged victorious in identical 1:58 times.
In the first elimination For The Luva Moni circled three-wide around pacesetter Wanabeamillionaire and challenger Chelemark Ginger at the three-quarter pole to capture the lead. From there the Balanced Image lass and driver Trevor Ritchie sailed off to a one length victory over hard closing Zorgwijk Delighted and Excusez Moi.
“This is her track. She likes the big stretch and the long straightaways,” said trainer Dr. John Hayes after the filly’s third Gold Elimination win. “She likes to grind it out and chase and pursue. The speed game is not her �A’ element, but she is a racehorse.”
Beamsville resident Hayes shares ownership on For The Luva Moni with Ned Gvoich of Beamsville and Kim Kaplan of Worcester, MA. Through 14 starts this season the filly has amassed nine wins, three seconds and one third-place finish for earnings of $407,315.
One race later drive Steve Condren sent Queen Of Jewels directly to the front and never needed to glance over his shoulder as the King Conch daughter cruised unchallenged to a two length victory over Fosse and Oaklea Lizzy.
Carman Hie trains Queen Of Jewels for partners the Carman Hie Stable Inc. of Rockwood, Gary Smith of Burlington and Peter Kloepfer of Harley and the Beamsville resident was relived to see the filly return to form after disappointing efforts in the Flamboro Gold Series Sept. 28 and Oct. 5.
“This is a relief. I haven’t slept for a few days I know that,” said Hie. “Racing her over at Flamboro, I shouldn’t have done that. I had thoughts that I shouldn’t do it, but I did it and it didn’t do her any good.”
The win was Queen Of Jewels’ second in four Gold Elimination efforts and boosted her 2003 record to five wins, three seconds and one-third in 13 starts with earnings of $174,454.
In addition to determining the starters for next Monday’s $130,000 Gold Final, the three-year-old trotting filly eliminations warmed up the Mohawk crowd for an exciting three-year-old pacing colt Gold Final in the fifth race. As the colts rolled in behind the starting gate savvy fans at the Campbellville oval made their final selections and sent Casimir Camotion off as their top choice in spite of the outside Post 10.
Firing off the gate into fifth spot, the Camluck son and driver Doug Brown were forced to sit on the outside through opening fractions of :27.2 and :55.1 before clearing to the front of the 10-horse field just past the halfway marker. Brown continued to let Casimir Camotion roll and the colt hit the three-quarters in 1:22 and then fended off a challenge from Armbro Acquire in the stretch to score the 1:52.3 victory. Armbro Acquire was three-quarters of a length back in second and Border Patrol hung on for the third-place finisher’s share.
“He just went a really tough, tough trip,” said Brown from the winner’s enclosure. “I really hadn’t planned on racing him that way; I was hoping to get away in the middle of the pack and follow cover, but it just didn’t set up quite that way and he just went a monster trip.”
Brown piloted the colt to his sixth win in nine starts for long time friend and trainer Stew Firlotte and owner Brad Firlotte of Toronto. The veteran reinsman attributed Casimir Camotion’s success to the efforts of Firlotte’s staff who have kept the stable operating while Firlotte recovered from a stroke suffered on June 21.
“Anthony (Haughan) and the whole crew in the Firlotte barn have done a terrific job with him. They got him ready for it and he showed tonight what he is,” said Brown, adding that Firlotte’s attitude through his recovery has remained optimistic. “The horses are being sold, but he is keeping the equipment. Yesterday when I was talking to him he said he is on his way back. His spirits are good and he still has sense of humour, so everything looks good right now.”
In spite of his victory Casimir Camotion just missed the cut off for a berth in the Nov. 8 Super Final, earning just three points less than the required 65, and will be forced to wait and see if one of the top 10 point earners fails to enter for the $300,000 season finale. Fourth-place finisher Winning Breed topped the point standings, and he and the other nine leading point earners will make their way back to Mohawk to battle in the rich championship.
Ontario Sires Stakes action returns to Mohawk Racetrack this Friday evening (Oct. 24) with two Gold Eliminations for the gifted two-year-old trotting fillies, featuring the indomitable Peaceful Way, and Saturday evening (Oct. 25) with Gold Elimination excitement for the two-year-old pacing fillies.