WINDSOR, ON — When Bert’s Casey rolls up behind the starting gate for his Gold Elimination at Windsor Raceway on Sunday evening, trainer Joe Nantais is hoping the three-year-old pacer’s streak of bad luck in added money events comes to a screeching halt.

With a record of six wins, one second and one third through 12 starts the Albert Albert son has crafted a successful season, but Nantais and owner Leo Racicot’s enthusiasm has been tempered by the fact that three of the four times the gelding finished off the board were eliminations or finals of stakes events.

“He’s been a hard luck story going for the bigger money,” laments Nantais. “Nothing has gone right.”

After posting a win and a second in his first two lifetime starts in February, Bert’s Casey won a leg of the Apaches Fame Series at Woodbine Racetrack in a smart 1:54.2. Third in the second leg, things fell apart in the Mar. 25 Final when the gelding got frustrated sitting behind the leaders and made a late break in stride.

Back at Woodbine for the Youthful Series on April 1, Bert’s Casey posted a personal best 1:52.4 victory, but Nantais noticed some swelling in one of the colt’s legs and decided to keep him home for the second week of the Series. In the April 15 Final the trainer added an inside head pole to the pacer’s equipment and Bert’s Casey did not react well to the change, breaking some equipment and finishing seventh.

The final chapter of the colt’s hard luck story was written in the Aug. 8 Gold Elimination when he faded late in the stretch, after leading through every station, and finished ninth.

“Kevin Wallis was driving him and as soon as he got back he said, �This horse is sick,'” recalls the Windsor resident. “I was a little worried thinking maybe he bled, but we had him scoped in the paddock and luckily it was just sickness. He had a lot of congestion in there.”

A full week of rest and medication had the gelding back on his feet and Nantais prepped him for Sunday’s battle with a start at Windsor on Aug. 21. Leaving from the outside Post 9, driver Brad Forward fired the gelding to the front and never looked back, cruising home in 1:54.4.

Bert’s Casey will start from Post 6 in the first of two $63,942 Gold Eliminations on Sunday and Nantais is confident the pacer can reach his favourite destination from there.

“He’s a horse that doesn’t go for dirt too much,” says Nantais of his protege’s front end style. “People say, �Aw, that’s too bad he’s a front end horse,’ but I think it’s a lot more dangerous if he’s ducking and diving dirt than if he’s where he wants to be.

And he does relax once he gets to the front,” adds the trainer. “He can rock out of there in 26 seconds, but if you want to go the next quarter in 40 seconds he’ll do it. He’s pretty manageable, pretty easy on himself.”

Harrow resident Racicot bred and owns Bert’s Casey and Nantais says he would love to see the longtime owner earn a Gold Elimination win at his hometown oval.

“There is nothing I’d like better than to win a couple of these big ones for Leo,” he explains. “He’s a pretty good owner, pretty dedicated to the business and has a pretty good outlook on the business.”

Among the colts Bert’s Casey will have to best to accomplish Nantais’s dream are reigning Gold Final champion Astronomical from Post 2 and former Gold Elimination winner Big Bonus from Post 9. The top four colts from each elimination, plus one fifth-place finisher drawn by lot, will advance to the Sept. 4 Gold Final.

Post time for Windsor Raceway’s Sunday evening program is 7:15 pm, with the gifted three-year-old pacing colts set to square off in Races 8 and 10.

For a complete list of entries please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/ewrfsu.html