INNISFIL, ON — Last weekend at Georgian Downs, Ontario’s gifted three-year-old trotting fillies delivered track record speed. In Saturday evening’s $130,000 Gold Final, the talent laden division delivered a nail biting finish that had fans on their feet.

Leaving from Post 6 for the second week in a row, J M Aggie and driver Paul Mackenzie once again sprinted off the starting gate to a :28 opening quarter. Constance Hall landed on the rail in second, track record holder Caught My Eye was third and fan favourite Maple Sugar was sitting fourth as the fillies raced toward the :58.3 half.

As J M Aggie hit the 1:27.4 three-quarters, the Angus Hall daughter was starting to feel some pressure. Hall of Fame horseman Bill O’Donnell had Caught My Eye driving up the outside and trotting specialist Trevor Ritchie was hot on his heels with Maple Sugar. Turning for home Caught My Eye had narrowed J M Aggie’s lead to a quarter length, Maple Sugar was a length and a quarter back in third and Constance Hall was continuing to save ground on the rail in fourth.

Thundering down the stretch, the fillies forced the Georgian Downs fans to their feet as Caught My Eye wrestled the lead away from a battling J M Aggie and Maple Sugar tried to outsprint them both. As the trio crossed under the wire it was clear that Caught My Eye had earned the 1:57.1 victory, but Maple Sugar and J M Aggie finished in lock step a half length behind the winner and fans had to wait for the announcer’s call to determine the second and third place finishers.

In the end a :28.4 last quarter landed Maple Sugar the runner-up’s share, while pacesetter J M Aggie settled for third-place spoils. Constance Hall delivered a steady effort to finish fourth and Whitesand Electra rounded out the top five, just three lengths behind the winner.

Caught My Eye and O’Donnell had to overcome Post 8 to earn their second straight victory. The veteran reinsman had driven Caught My Eye through most of her two-year-old campaign, but had been missing from her race bike up until last weekend’s track record setting 1:56.4 performance in the Gold Elimination. Last season the pair racked up three Gold Elimination wins, a Gold Final, two divisions of the Trillium Series and a Flamboro Breeders Stake division through 13 starts.

Orton resident Frank O’Reilly conditions Caught My Eye for his partners John Fielding of Toronto and John Ferguson of Windsor. The trio plucked the daughter of Angus Hall and Here’s Lookin At You Babe out of the 2005 Forest City Yearling Sale for $55,000 and have seen an impressive return on their investment as the filly has earned $353,401 through a total of 18 starts.

Caught My Eye will begin defence of her Gold Final title on July 6 at Mohawk Racetrack. Ontario Sires Stakes competitors will continue to thrill Georgian Downs fans this month as the cream of the exciting three-year-old pacing colt crop rolls into Innisfil next Saturday, July 7 for their second Gold Elimination of the season.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rgeodfsa.html#N9