CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Heading into Sunday’s $130,000 Gold Final at Mohawk Racetrack, trainer James “Friday” Dean is feeling pretty relaxed.

The virus that plagued his barn in June and July has been banished, and his heavy hitters have returned to the plate swinging for the stands.

“I think we got the virus the heck out of there, and I hope it stays away,” says the Campbellville resident, who will harness elimination winner Domitian Hanover and Raw Energy in Sunday’s final.

After being sidelined for a month, Domitian Hanover returned to racing in the July 21 Canadian Breeders eliminations at Mohawk. Last season’s Ontario Sires Stakes division champion and O’Brien Award winner finished a solid second and came back one week later with an impressive 1:50 victory to claim the Championship.

In last week’s Gold Elimination the son of Camluck and Debras Charm posted an effortless 1:52.1 victory, but he may face a tougher test this week, starting from Post 8 in the talented field of 10 colts.

“Mark (MacDonald), he’ll have to figure that one out. He’ll have to earn his five per cent this week,” says Dean with a laugh. “But he can race from both ways, he’s a pretty versatile horse.”

In addition to versatility, Dean says a good gait and a gritty attitude are two of Domitian Hanover’s best assets, and points to the Canadian Breeders Championship Final as a testament to the young pacer’s determination.

“He never gives up, that horse, he digs,” says Dean, who trains Domitian Hanover for Scott and Clay Harland Horner of Toronto. “That trip in the Canadian Breeders, that was a heck of a trip. Mark used him three times.

“He’s such a good gaited thing, he never makes a mistake,” Dean adds. “And he’s easy on himself. He’s a lazy horse to jog and train, and that’s a good thing.”

While Domitian Hanover starts the furthest outside of the three elimination winners, Raw Energy will benefit from Post 1 in the $130,000 final. Unlike his stablemate, Raw Energy was not affected by the virus, but Dean says the colt has suffered from a lack of racing luck. Through seven starts the son of Astreos and F Fifteen has two thirds to his credit, but he has only been worse than fifth on two occasions.

“He’s been right there, knocking at the door,” says Dean. “One night we’ll get them.”

Breeder Charalambos Christoforou of Campbellville, Banjo Farms of Toronto and Alvin Stein of Ottawa share ownership on the leggy youngster, who was a Gold Final winner at two and finished right behind his stablemate in the earnings race. Chris Christorofou pilots the winner of $166,925 and would love to improve on the third-place finish Raw Energy delivered in last week’s elimination.

Sunday’s $130,000 Gold Final takes place in the eighth race on Mohawk Racetrack’s talent laden program, which also features six divisions of the Robert Stewart Stakes for two-year-old trotting and pacing fillies. The first race at the Campbellville oval gets under way at 7:20 pm.

For complete entries please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/emohssu.html#N8