WINDSOR, ON — Windsor Raceway fans will enjoy an action-packed evening of Ontario Sires Stakes races on Wednesday when the two-year-old trotting colts, returning to town for their $130,000 Gold Final, are joined by their feminine counterparts competing in four Trillium Series races.

Gold Elimination winners Victory Hall and Brazen will start from Posts 1 and 2 in the Gold Final and although Classic Lavec will be hampered by Post 8 Stan Malec is looking forward to giving the favourites a run for their money.

“He was slipping last week so we’ve made a few changes to his shoeing and hopefully he will grab the track a little better this week.

“He’ll be competitive,” says Malec. “Position is not going to hinder him all that much.”

Classic Lavec finished third to Brazen in last week’s elimination round and has been a contender in all four of his early season efforts. In his July 7 debut at Windsor the Mr Lavec son finished fourth in a non-winners of two races event against older horses and then posted an impressive second-place finish in the first Gold Elimination of the season at Woodbine Racetrack on July 12. A fourth from Post 8 in the July 19 Final at Woodbine and last week’s third-place effort round out the youngster’s solid resume.

“He’s done everything right and he loves his job,” says the Belle River resident. “He’s just a solid colt.”

Malec bred and owns Classic Lavec and says he had his first glimpse of the gelding’s talent last fall just after the young trotter had mastered his early lessons.

“I’ve had two others out of the same mare, and when I got back from moose hunting last year this guy was broke so I drove him and I knew right then he was far better than the other two,” explains Malec. “Just his way of going, his natural talent.”

Half-siblings Heza Classic and Classic Commotion started in the Ontario Sires Stakes program as three-year-olds, but Classic Lavec is already the most successful of the three and Malec is enjoying every moment. He and his family will all be on hand Wednesday to provide moral support to trainer Albert White and cheer their gelding home.

“Everyone will be there,” says the owner-breeder. “It is exciting for them, and it’s a lot better than a four hour drive.”

Before the two-year-old trotting colts step into the spotlight in Race 13, the freshman trotting fillies will warm up the crowd in four Trillium Series divisions. Leading off the first division is Gold Final runner-up Dream On Bernie, owned by Janet Fairall of Windsor, trainer George Zirnis and caretaker Tanya Martin of Elmira and Nancy Holmes of Clinton. Zirnis and the Berndt Hanover daughter will be looking to take advantage of Post 1 in Race 4 to post their second victory of the season.

Reigning Gold Final champion World Class Image headlines in the second Trillium division and will be looking for her third straight victory from Post 7 for trainer Pat Hunt and owners Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin of St. Catharines.

The fillies are featured in Races 4, 7, 9, and 11 on Windsor Raceway’s Wednesday evening program, which gets under way at 6 pm.