GLOUCESTER, ON — Claudius Augustus rebounded from a pair of disappointing efforts to score a Gold Elimination victory at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Friday evening in track record style.

Starting from Post 4 in the six horse field, Claudius Augustus and driver Mario Baillargeon took control of the race just after the :28.3 opening quarter and rolled easily through a :58 half and 1:27 three-quarters before cranking up the intensity and sprinting home to the 1:55.4 victory. Fan favourite Hallo settled for second, one length behind Claudius Augustus, and Tonight AAS survived a tough trip to finish third.

Debra Budahn trains Claudius Augustus, who replaced Ontario Sires Stakes superstar Majestic Son in Rideau Carleton Raceway’s record books with his 1:55.4 mile. The win was the eighth in 15 starts for the son of Angus Hall and $277,988 winner Claudius Last Lady, who started his sophomore season off with six straight wins split between California’s Cal-Expo and Mohawk Racetrack.

The colt skipped the Gold Series season opener, won his provincial debut at Kawartha Downs on June 26, and then finished second in the July 3 Gold Final. Off that performance Budahn and owners The Gusty Stable of Rolling Hills Est., CA opted to send Claudius Augustus to the Hambletonian, where the colt finished fifth in his elimination. Back in Gold Series action the young trotter finished second in his elimination over the Flamboro Downs half-mile, and then made an early break in the Aug. 19 Final.

A second break in the Sept. 1 Simcoe Stakes forced Claudius Augustus to re-qualify, and it took Budahn and Baillargeon two efforts to get a flawless line on the colt, but their patience clearly paid off on Friday as the young trotter delivered his best performance since the Kawartha Downs Gold Series.

A move into trainer Darren McCall’s barn seems to have paid off for Smarty Jims, who recorded his first Ontario Sires Stakes victory of the season in the second $38,103 Gold Elimination.

With trotting specialist Trevor Ritchie at the helm, Smarty Jims stalked pacesetter and fan favourite Arch Madness through fractions of :28.2, :59.1 and 1:28, before stepping out in the stretch with an impressive finishing kick that propelled him to the 1:56.3 victory. Arch Madness was one and three-quarter lengths back in second and Zorgwijk Hollander was another four lengths back in third.

Breeder Lynne Foley of Salvisa, KY, Mimi Lenenberg of Pittsburgh, PA, Clare Semer of South Palm Beach, FL and Angie Stiller of Arva, ON share ownership on Smarty Jims, who more than doubled his sophomore earnings with the win.

In the final Gold Elimination, trainer Kevin Thomas came within a whisker of his fairy-tale ending when Cayenne Turbo did all the work on the front end, only to be caught at the wire by Hoopie. Snazzy Hot Rod picked up the third-place finisher’s share.

Mario Baillargeon piloted Hoopie to his first Ontario Sires Stakes victory for trainer Benoit Baillargeon and owners Randy Ringer of Washington, PA and Mark Christman of Avella, PA. The San Pellegrino son halted the teletimer at 1:58 to log a new personal best and boost his record to three wins, four seconds and three thirds in 17 starts.

Heading into next Friday’s $130,000 Gold Final, Baillargeon is in the enviable position of having to choose between two Gold Elimination winners for his mount. Post position will not likely be the deciding factor as Claudius Augustus will start from Post 5 and Hoopie from Post 7. The remainder of the Gold Final field will line up behind Rideau Carleton Raceway’s starting gate as follows:

Post 1 Tonight AAS

Post 2 Hallo

Post 3 Snazzy Hot Rod

Post 4 Cayenne Turbo

Post 5 Claudius Augustus

Post 6 Smarty Jims

Post 7 Hoopie

Post 8 Zorgwijk Hollander

Post 9 Arch Madness

Also Eligible 1 Meadowview Matty

Also Eligible 2 Passito

Also Eligible 3 Beer Budget

For complete results please go to:

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