DUNDAS, ON — McCall Magic continues to steamroll over her three-year-old trotting filly peers, capturing Friday’s $130,000 Gold Final at Flamboro Downs by four and a half lengths.
In atypical fashion, driver Steve Condren put the Angus Hall filly on the front end just after the :29.4 opening quarter and the pair extended their lead with each stride, cruising through fractions of 1:00 and 1:29.3 on their way to the 1:58.3 victory.
Silhouette Dream and Miss Michelle H closed well to pick up the second and third-place finisher’s shares of the $130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes purse.
The win was McCall Magic’s third straight, her sixth on the season and her second consecutive Gold Final triumph. Trained by Dr. John Hayes of Beamsville for his partners Michael Horgan of Roseneath, Press Time Stable of Tillsonburg and Kim Kaplan of Worcester, MA, McCall Magic also captured the Canadian Breeders Championship crown at Woodbine Racetrack on July 31.
With a commanding lead atop the division standings the winner of $298,943 may be looking at a brief vacation during the coming weeks as Hayes attempts to freshen her up for the lucrative fall season.
“She has the opportunity to be a player in the top events through the end of the year and I wouldn’t mind giving her the opportunity to be the best player she can be,” said Hayes before Friday’s event, “And that likely involves a couple of weeks without racing.”
As a result McCall Magic may give the opposition a break in the fourth Gold Series event, Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 at Rideau Carleton Raceway, in favour of a lead up to the Nov. 13 $300,000 Super Final that would start with the Simcoe Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack on Sept. 8.
Hayes will spend the next week evaluating the filly’s condition and remaining schedule before making a final decision.
“When you’ve given yourself a bit of a cushion you tend to be more plan-oriented,” said the cerebral horseman. “And I really have a desire to be foursquare ready in November.”
Prior to the Aug. 26 Gold event the sophomore trotting fillies also have the opportunity to compete in Trillium Series action at Hiawatha Horse Park on Aug. 19.
Meanwhile Flamboro Downs heads into an exciting weekend of Ontario Sires Stakes action with Gold Eliminations for the two-year-old pacing colts on Saturday evening and the three-year-old trotting colts on Sunday. Both events will culminate in $130,000 Gold Finals on Aug. 22, part of the Dundas oval’s popular Confederation Cup program.