CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Front end control was the ticket to the winner’s circle for Ontario’s top two-year-old trotting colts on Thursday evening, as all three Gold Elimination winners employed front end tactics to sail around the Mohawk Racetrack oval and into next week’s $130,000 Gold Final.

Pizzazzed posted the quickest of the three $38,182 eliminations, hitting the wire in 1:58.3. With trainer Roger Hammer in the race bike, the Kadabra colt skirted a few early breakers from the trailing Post 11 and was sitting third as fan favourite Mr Mission took the field to a :29.4 half. Heading for the :59.3 half, Hammer sent Pizzazzed after the lead, and the colt cruised unchallenged through the 1:29.2 three-quarters and fought off a challenge from Mr Mission in the stretch.

Mr Mission , who is owned by trainer Carl Jamieson of Princeton and Ken Henwood of Mississauga, settled for second, three-quarters of a length behind the winner, and Ja El Pronto, the second longest shot in the race, was three more lengths back in third.

No stranger to the photographer’s lens, Pizzazzed captured a division of the Tompkins-Geers Stake at Tioga Downs on July 21 and was a 2:00 winner in an overnight at Rosecroft Raceway on July 14. The third foal of regally bred Armbro Adored — who boasts seven siblings with earnings over $100,000, including the great Armbro Flori ($571,711) — started his freshman campaign at Pocono Downs on July 7, finishing second in his W. N. Reynolds Memorial division.

Fox Valley Standardbreds of Sherman, IL, own Pizzazzed, who will make his Gold Final debut from Post 2 next Friday, Aug. 10.

A pair of Striking Sahbra colts captured the other two eliminations, clocking identical 1:58.4 miles.

In the first split Trevor Ritchie sent Andiron Springs to the front from Post 6 and the youngster rolled through fractions of :29.1, :59.2 and 1:29.3 on his way to a half length victory over Sergeant York and O U Gus, who is owned by Glengate Farms and trainer Jerry Duford of Campbellville.

John Swart of Oakton, VA owns Andiron Springs, who was a $15,000 US yearling purchase from last fall’s Harrisburg Sale. Trained by Tom Artandi, Andiron Springs also started his freshman campaign south of the border, finishing eighth in a division of the W. N. Reynolds Memorial before stepping up to a 1:59 score in a Pocono Downs overnight on July 24.

Unfortunately, Andiron Springs and Ritchie will be handicapped by the outside Post 10 in next week’s Gold Final.

Last, but not least, B Strike Three captured the third elimination by the largest margin. The Rousell Mackenzie trainee, who also started from Post 6, zipped along through fractions of :28.4, :59.4 and 1:29.4 before powering home to a four and one-quarter length triumph. Favourite Borga Avin recovered from an early break to earn the runner-up’s share, while Red Star Conman was two more lengths back in third.

Ben Robards III of Shepherdsville, KY bred and owns B Strike Three, who made his debut in the July 4 Flamboro Breeder Stakes, capturing his division with a 2:01 effort. In the Gold Series season opener at Grand River Raceway on July 16, the young trotter made a pair of errors and finished well back of his peers in seventh.

B Strike Three will start from the advantageous Post 1 in the Aug. 10 Gold Final, joined by the top three finishers from each elimination, plus Hot And Coldplay. Owned in part by trainer Christopher Beaver of Rockwood and driver Luc Ouellette of Campbellville, Hot And Coldplay pulled the short stick among the fourth-place finishers to earn the last spot in the $130,000 Final.

Only three colts who competed in the July 23 Gold Final — Mr Mission, Sergeant York and Hot And Coldplay — will return to battle next Friday, Aug. 10, which sees the two-year-old trotting colts lining up behind the Mohawk Racetrack starting gate as follows:

Post 1 B Strike Three

Post 2 Pizzazzed

Post 3 O U Gus

Post 4 Ja El Pronto

Post 5 Borga Avin

Post 6 Mr Mission

Post 7 Red Star Conman

Post 8 Sergeant York

Post 9 Hot And Coldplay

Post 10 Andiron Springs

Also Eligible 1 Keystone Titan

Also Eligible 2 Abe Linkin

Also Eligible 3 Merlin

For complete results please go to:

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