REXDALE, ON — Armbro Balmoral reeled off another lightning fast mile in Gold Series Elimination action at Woodbine Racetrack on Monday evening, stopping the teletimer at 1:50.3.
The Camluck son and driver Mario Baillargeon took command of the race heading to the halfway marker and never needed to glance back as they sailed to the one length victory over L H Stryker and O Narutac Magic.
“He’s good right now. We don’t want to always race him up near the front, but you’re 3-5 and you have 80-1 shots coming out of there hard and I understand what Mario was thinking,” said trainer Ben Wallace from the winner’s circle. “He’s been really good. I thought he looked better at the wire tonight than he did in the Canadian Breeders Championship final (July 31).”
Wallace trains Armbro Balmoral for Barnett Zimmerman LLC of Deerfield, IL. The pair have enjoyed the colt’s recent success, which has seen him pace in 1:50.3 or faster his last three starts, including a stakes record 1:49.2 in the Canadian Breeder Eliminations on July 24.
“He took some time figuring out what we were asking of him and he learned it in a big way,” said Milton resident Wallace. “He always had some speed, and I mentioned before that his manners were an issue prior to hitting this good spot. But he’s got a little pedigree behind him and he has been a sound horse and he has gotten to figure out what we want from him.”
The other elimination went to last season’s Super Final champion Freedom Hanover, who was making just his third start in Gold Series action this season. The Rustler Hanover son and driver Randy Waples opted for come-from-behind tactics from Post 7 and reeled in pacesetter Armbro Brando with an impressive burst of speed through the stretch.
Fan favourite Armbro Brando finished half a length back in second and Flashy Baron was third in the 1:52.1 mile.
Brett Robinson trains Freedom Hanover for Sampson Street Stables of Old Forge, PA, Deena Rachel Frost of Delray Beach, FL, Jerry Silva of Bellmore, NY and Mathias Meinzinger of Central Islip, NY. The colt has a record of three wins, two seconds and a third in 10 starts this season, including a victory in the Clearwater Cup Final at Hiawatha Horse Park on June 26.
The top three colts from each elimination will be joined by fourth and fifth-place finishers, Grin Some More and Rocketboy from the first split and Reason To Smile and Cozy Xample from the second, for the $130,000 Gold Final at Woodbine Racetrack on Monday, Aug. 16.