ELORA, ON — The eight two-year-old trotting colts who advanced out of the Gold Eliminations at Grand River Raceway on Monday night represent some savvy bargain hunting at last fall’s yearling sales.

Four of the colts who will return to Elora for the $130,000 Gold Final on July 23 are still owned by their breeders, but of the four that sold at public auction last fall, the most expensive was hammered down for $45,000 and the cheapest for just $7,500.

Keystone Titan captured the first $28,449 elimination with an impressive front end effort for driver Dave “Mr OSS” Wall. The pair sailed around Grand River’s half-mile oval unchallenged, reaching the finish line five and a half lengths ahead of Sergeant York and Smedshammer in 2:02.3.

John Kopas trains the son of Mr Lavec and Trista Seelster for owner-breeders Alice Kopas of Ilderton and George Hempt of Camp Hill, PA. Keystone Titan prepped for his racing debut with a trio of winning qualifiers, the first on May 31 at Pocono Downs in Pennsylvania, and the next two at Mohawk Racetrack on June 15 and July 6.

Only the top two finishers from each elimination advance to the July 23 Gold Final, and Keystone Titan will be joined by fan favourite Sergeant York, a Flamboro Breeders Stake division winner who is owned by breeder Tony Holmes and Walter Zent of Lexington, KY.

Luc Ouellette engineered a classic pocket trip for Hot And Coldplay in the second elimination and the Angus Hall son stepped out in the stretch to collar pacesetter White Hot and score the quarter length victory in 2:03.2. Abe Linkin rounded out the top three, two and a half lengths behind the battling leaders.

Christopher Beaver of Rockwood trains Hot And Coldplay and shares ownership on the colt with Campbellville resident Ouellette, Paul Bernard of Saint-Hyacinthe, QC and James McLaughlin of Lexington, KY. Beaver picked the colt, the second foal of a half-sister to $3.2 million winner Peaceful Way, out of the Lexington Yearling Sale for just $19,000 US last fall.

Runner-up White Hot, owned by the Henry Stable of Arthur and Shawn Dixon of London, is a half-brother to $1.5 million winner Abbey Road C that trainer Wayne Henry picked up for the bargain basement price of $13,000 at the Forest City Yearling Sale.

The highest priced colt that will appear in next week’s final is the third elimination winner, Mr Mission, a full-brother to $543,891 winner Corinas Mission that trainer Carl Jamieson acquired for $45,000 at the Canadian Open Yearling Sale.

Jamieson piloted Mr Mission to the gate-to-wire score over fan favourite Rapid Strategy and Miguel Duhamel, hitting the wire one and three-quarter lengths on top in 2:03.1. The Princeton resident shares ownership on the Mr Lavec son with Ken Henwood of Mississauga.

Trainer-driver Anthony MacDonald of Guelph and his partner Frank Cirillo of Mississauga brought Rapid Strategy home from the Canadian Open sale for a mere $7,500 last fall. The King Conch gelding’s mother, Rapid Sahbra, is a half-sister to top Ontario stallion Striking Sahbra.

The final elimination saw trainer Dustin Jones pilot the royally bred Across All Borders to a front-end victory in 2:02.4. Al Libfeld of Pickering and Robert Kauffman of Wellington, FL share ownership on the son of Duke Of York and Lovable Truth. Lovable Truth is a half-sister to former Ontario Sires Stakes leading stallion King Conch.

The flawlessly bred Remarkable Man picked up the runner-up cheque for breeders Peifer Farms Limited of Chatham and Glengate Farms of Campbellville. The Angus Hall and Armbro McKeown son’s siblings include $332,982 winner Remarkable Image.

Striker Springs, owned by Shelley Henry of Arthur, rounded out the top three in the last elimination.

The top eight colts will spend the week preparing for their return to Grand River Raceway next Monday, when they will line up behind the gate as follows for their first $130,000 Gold Final:

Post 1 Rapid Strategy

Post 2 Hot And Coldplay

Post 3 Keystone Titan

Post 4 White Hot

Post 5 Across All Borders

Post 6 Remarkable Man

Post 7 Sergeant York

Post 8 Mr Mission

Also Eligible 1 Smedshammer

Also Eligible 2 Miguel Duhamel

Also Eligible 3 Striker Springs

For complete results please go to:

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