WINDSOR, ON — Windsor Raceway fans got a clear demonstration of the phenomenal depth in the Ontario Sires Stakes’ two-year-old pacing filly division on Sunday evening when Canadette rocketed around the five-eighths mile oval to a 1:53 track record in the first of two Gold Eliminations.

Leaving from Post 3, driver Paul MacDonell opted not to use Canadette’s early speed as Titanic Rose and Fysia battled to a :26.4 opening quarter. Mario Baillargeon and Titanic Rose slowed things down a notch with a :56 half, and MacDonell sent Canadette up the outside behind Breathdefying.

Breathdefying took command of the race before the 1:24.1 three-quarters, but Canadette was applying heavy pressure from the outside and as the fillies swept around the final turn Breathdefying made a costly error that knocked her out of contention and also interfered with the momentum of Titanic Rose and Fysia, who were sitting behind her.

With Breathdefying out of the picture, Canadette surged away from the field and hit the wire two lengths on top in a track record 1:53. Quail Seelster stuck to Canadette’s heels to finish second, while Fysia was 10 and a half lengths behind the leader in third. Fourth-place finisher Freckly Sara also advanced to next Sunday’s $130,000 Gold Final.

The mile knocked three-fifths of a second off the previous track record, held jointly by a trio of former Ontario Sires Stakes darlings — Odies Fame (1998), Precious Delight (2001) and Lady Dillinger (2004). The two-year-old pacing fillies have now set records at three different racetracks through just five weeks of racing. Division leader and reigning Gold Final champion Luck Of Michelle set a track and world record at Flamboro Downs on June 24 and a track record at Grand River Raceway on July 3.

Canadette was the runner-up to Luck Of Michelle in the July 24 Gold Final at Mohawk Racetrack, but she is no stranger to the winner’s circle. The daughter of Mach Three and former Ontario Sires Stakes star Legacy Of Fame has three wins and two seconds under belt through five starts this season for trainer Gregg McNair of Guelph and owner-breeder Robert B. Chapple of Chatham. She will take a run at her own Gold Final title from Post 3 next Sunday.

The other elimination went to Michelles Power, who sailed through fractions of :27.2, :57.2 and 1:26.1 on her way to the 1:55.2 victory over Tymal Trinity and Pilgrims Her Way. Hold That Thought, owned by trainer Robert McIntosh Stables Inc., LaSalle, Dwight Stacey of Mitchell and C S X Stables of Liberty Center, OH, and Jans Luck also advanced to the Final out of the second elimination.

William Elliott trains Michelles Power for owner and breeder Jeffrey Snyder of New York, NY. The daughter of Camluck and $695,439 winner Michelles Jackpot also captured a Gold Elimination trophy at Grand River Raceway on July 3. Through seven starts the regally bred miss has three wins, one second and two thirds for earnings of $84,118. She and driver Kevin Wallis will attempt to add to that total from Post 5 in the Aug. 6 Gold Final.

The top four finishers from each elimination, plus Jans Luck who won the draw between fifth-place finishers, will return to Windsor Raceway on Sunday, Aug. 6 for their third try at a $130,000 Gold Final title. Post positions for next weekend’s showdown are as follows:

Post 1 Jans Luck

Post 2 Tymal Trinity

Post 3 Canadette

Post 4 Pilgrims Her Way

Post 5 Michelles Power

Post 6 Freckly Sara

Post 7 Hold That Thought

Post 8 Quail Seelster

Post 9 Fysia

AE1 Queen Of Royalty

AE2 Tricky

AE3 Keystone Eager

For complete results please go to:

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