WINDSOR, ON — Windsong Espoir embarrassed a talented field of two-year-old trotting colts on Sunday evening at Windsor Raceway, coming from off the pace to score an eight length Gold Elimination victory in an Ontario Sires Stakes record 1:56.

Leaving from Post 6 in an 11 horse field, driver Steve Condren opted for a different strategy than fans have grown accustomed to seeing from Windsong Espoir. The veteran reinsman simply allowed his charge to float off the starting gate and sit on the outside in the middle of the crowded field as Sergeant York gunned out of the outside Post 9 to a :27.3 quarter.

Sergeant York continued to lead through a :58 half, while Condren and overwhelming favourite Windsong Espoir sat two and a half lengths back in fourth. In his last five victories Windsong Espoir has been well in command before the three-quarter pole, but when the teletimer hit 1:27.1 on Sunday, the Kadabra son was still circling three-wide around Sergeant York and Pizzazzed.

The battle was short-lived however, as Windsong Espoir turned for home three lengths ahead of his peers and muscled down the stretch to an eight length triumph in a track and Ontario Sires Stakes record 1:56.

The consistent O U Gus, with Hall of Fame horseman Bill O’Donnell at the lines, closed from sixth at the top of the stretch to be second, while Pizzazzed and trainer-driver Roger Hammer hung on for third.

Fresh off a 1:55.4 Ontario Sires Stakes record over Mohawk Racetrack’s seven-eighths mile oval, Windsong Espoir’s outstanding effort on Windsor’s five-eighths circuit stripped one and a half seconds off the former 1:57.3 OSS mark set by Dr Robert Johns at Rideau Carleton Raceway in 2005.

In addition to two Ontario Sires Stakes records, the two-year-old prodigy boasts a record of seven straight wins in eight starts, including his Gold Elimination and Final at Mohawk in September, his elimination and the final of the William Wellwood Memorial, a division of the Champlain Stakes and the final of the Bridger Trotting Series, all at Mohawk. Third in his Aug. 16 racing debut — in a leg of the Bridger Series — the colt has already earned $493,004.

The trotter has so dominated his freshman peers that, for his second straight start, no show wagering was permitted.

Cambridge resident Brad Maxwell trains Windsong Espoir for Peter Heffering of Port Perry, Jerry Vanboekel of Bright, Hope Stable of Port Perry, and William Loyens of London, whose wife Paulette Loyens bred and raised the talented youngster.

Windsong Espoir will have an opportunity to extend his win streak to eight and earn a second Gold Final title when the top nine finishers from Sunday’s Gold Elimination return to Windsor Raceway next Sunday, Oct. 14. The reigning champion will defend his title from Post 3 in the last Gold Final on the 2007 freshman trotting colt schedule, with his competitors lining up as follows:

Post 1 Define The World

Post 2 Nesta

Post 3 Windsong Espoir

Post 4 Sergeant York

Post 5 Shoeless White Sox

Post 6 Pizzazzed

Post 7 Hot And Coldplay

Post 8 Storm Dreamer

Post 9 O U Gus

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rwrfsu.html#N7