LONDON, ON — Western Fair Raceway’s outstanding opening weekend continues on Saturday with two Gold Series Eliminations for the talented two-year-old trotting colts.
Eleven youngsters will battle for a total of $102,612 and a berth in next weekend’s $130,000 Gold Final, the last one of the season. Also up for grabs are points toward the season ending $300,000 Super Final, and with the top three point earners opting to try their hand elsewhere this weekend, In Conchnito will be looking to make a move up the standings from Post 4 in Race 8.
“He seems to be getting stronger and stronger,” says trainer Bob McIntosh, last year’s leading Ontario Sires Stakes conditioner. “We’re looking forward to him next year. He’s good now, but I think he’ll be really good next year.”
With a record of five wins, two seconds and two thirds in 13 starts this season, and earnings of $328,655, In Conchnito has already established himself as one of the top colts in North America. He heads into Saturday’s contest off a runner-up finish in the Valley Victory Final at Mohawk Racetrack on Oct. 18 where he came within inches of taking home the lion’s share of the $654,133 purse.
“If Steve gets loose 50 feet earlier, he wins it all,” laments McIntosh. “There was just no room. He would have had to come first up before the three-quarter pole, so he elected to stay on the rail and it opened up late.”
The King Conch son’s personal best came in elimination action for the Valley Victory one week earlier, when he posted a solid 1:57 victory over a field of American-breds.
McIntosh bred and owns In Conchnito with CSX Stables of Liberty Center, OH and Dave Boyle of Bowmanville. Last year’s top OSS reinsman Don McElroy will take over the lines on Saturday, but McIntosh does not expect the driver change or the move to a half-mile track to have any impact on the trotter.
“He’s growing right now, but he’s still average sized and he trains out here on my (half-mile) farm track and handles it no problem,” says the La Salle resident. “He’s trained around it in about 2:03.”
Among the rivals that In Conchnito will face in the second Gold Elimination on Saturday night is Valley Victory winner Beardmore, who will start from Post 3 in the five-horse field.
Topping the field of six in the first elimination is the runner-up from the Oct. 2 Gold Final Grand Sovereign, who enjoyed a brief vacation during the last three weeks while many of his peers locked horns in the Valley Victory. Grand Sovereign will be looking for a second Gold Elimination victory from Post 4 in Race 1, which goes postward at 7:30 pm.
The top four finishers from each Gold Elimination will return to Western Fair Raceway next Saturday, Nov. 1 for their $130,000 Gold Final.