DUNDAS, ON — Ontario Sires Stakes action roars back into Flamboro Downs on Friday afternoon with two Gold Series Eliminations for the exciting three-year-old pacing fillies.
After two Gold Series events no filly has emerged as the clear stand-out and Friday’s event promises to feature two more hotly contested races. Among the fillies hoping to add their names to the roster of elimination winners is Ben Wallace trainee Armbro Berlin, who heads into the $58,846 battle from the first leg of the Town Pro Pacing Series at Woodbine.
“She’s in Woodbine tonight (Monday) in the Town Pro. We’re just using that to get her ready for the Sires Stake,” says Milton resident Wallace. “She’ll race tonight, get turned out Tuesday, jog lightly Wednesday and Thursday and then away we go Friday.”
Armbro Berlin captured the Gold Final consolation at Woodbine on June 21, posting a 1:52.3 victory over Gold Final winner Taylor Lynne and tough competitor Los Angeles. The Village Jiffy daughter just missed earning a spot in the Gold Final after finishing fourth in her June 14 elimination and Wallace says the blame for that lies squarely on his shoulders.
“That was my fault. I made some adjustments to her and she didn’t respond well. It was terrible timing,” says the veteran conditioner. “Nevertheless, she bounced back and won a race, went a really good trip.”
Wallace and partner Jeffrey Langfelder of Atlanta, GA opted to skip the season opening Gold event at Western Fair Raceway, feeling that Armbro Berlin would enjoy greater success on Woodbine’s larger oval. However, Wallace does not see Flamboro’s half-mile posting the same challenges for the leggy filly.
“I don’t know if that (half-mile racing) is in her best interest,” says Wallace. “But drawing inside in Flamboro, that shouldn’t be an issue.”
The filly and regular reinsman Keith Oliver will start from Post 2 in the fourth race on Friday and face both Gold Final winners, Taylor Lynne from Post 3 and Invitro from Post 4. The other division, Race 8 on the 2:45 pm program, features a trio of Gold Elimination winners — Special Magic from Post 1, Manhattan Killean from Post 2 and Bella Fame from Post 5.
The top four finishers from each elimination will return to Flamboro Downs on Friday, July 16 for the third Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final of their sophomore campaign.