LONDON, ON — Western Fair Raceway officials rated the track one second slower than normal on Friday evening, but they clearly forgot to pass that information on to the 23 three-year-old pacing colts rocketing around the half-mile oval in their first Gold Series event of the season.

Eagle Luck delivered the fastest performance of the three Gold Eliminations, stopping the clock in 1:54.3 off a flawless front end performance that saw him coast under the wire two and one-quarter lengths in front of the field. Driver Allan Cullen had the Camluck son in gear from the word go, sprinting out of Post 5 to a :28.1 opening quarter before cooling things down heading for the :57.1 half.

With fan favourite Stonebridge Ideal starting to exert some pressure on the outside, Cullen and Eagle Luck picked the pace up en route to the 1:25.3 three-quarters and never saw another challenge as they sailed under the wire two lengths ahead of Windsong Cruiser and seven ahead of a tiring Stonebridge Ideal.

Gregg McNair trains Eagle Luck for Frank Dettore of North Ridgeville, OH. A Grassroots competitor as a two-year-old, Eagle Luck prepped for Friday’s Gold event with one fifth and one third-place finish in overnight action at Woodbine Racetrack. The colt will return to Post 5 for next week’s $130,000 Gold Final.

Heavy favourite Stormaway delivered the goods in the fourth race, logging the second fastest mile of the evening for trainer Dan Megens of Hamilton, Janice Van Nest of Hamilton and Peter Caetano of Ancaster. The Northern Luck colt and driver Mark Megens, who have only been beaten once in 11 starts this season, took command of the race from Post 3 and never faced a challenge on their way to the 1:55.4 score.

Tipper Too finished three and a half lengths behind the pacesetter in second and Dodgeball survived a trip around the outside to earn the third-place finisher’s share of the $39,201 provincial purse. Stormaway will attempt to extend his current win streak to seven from Post 4 in next Friday’s Gold Final.

Champ Of Mischief claimed the other elimination in similar style. Leaving from Post 4 the Twin B Champ son wrestled the early lead away from Daylon Classic just past the :28.2 opening quarter, hit the halfway marker in a sedate :59 and then had to pick up the pace heading for the 1:28.1 three-quarters as Bye Bye Grin mounted a determined challenge from the outside. By the time the colts turned for home Champ Of Mischief and driver Phil Hudon had reclaimed a clear lead and they powered down the stretch to a 1:57.4 victory.

Casie Coleman trains Champ Of Mischief for Steve Calhoun and Michael Lindley of Chatham. In just six lifetime starts the young pacer boasts a record of four wins and one third, including a 1:50.4 triumph at Woodbine Racetrack on May 8.

Bye Bye Grin stayed game for second and Presidential Alert closed well to be third, but then drew the short straw against the other two third-place finishers and had to settle for also eligible status in next week’s Gold Final. Neither Champ Of Mischief nor Bye Bye Grin had much luck in the draw either as they landed Posts 8 and 6.

The complete list of entries for next Friday’s $130,000 Gold Final is as follows:

Post 1 Windsong Cruiser

Post 2 Stonebridge Ideal

Post 3 Dodgeball

Post 4 Stormaway

Post 5 Eagle Luck

Post 6 Bye Bye Grin

Post 7 Tipper Too

Post 8 Champ Of Mischief

AE1 Presidential Alert

AE2 Sudburysatrdaynite

AE3 Ima Double XL

Complete results can be found at:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rlonfr.html