ELORA, ON — Controlling the pace from the front end worked for the winners of all three Gold Eliminations at Grand River Raceway on Tuesday evening.

Mopey Corey kicked off the two-year-old trotting colt battles with a gate-to-wire performance from Post 3, cruising under the wire a commanding three lengths ahead of the competition in 2:03. Mr Escadar shadowed the pacesetter into second-place, while Matador Bo toughed it out first up to claim the third-place share of the $40,000 Gold Elimination purse.

Guelph resident Anthony MacDonald owns and drives Mopey Corey, a son of Southwind Lustre who now owns two Gold Elimination trophies. The colt also posted a win in the Gold Series season opener at Kawartha Downs on July 15, and finished second in the Gold Final one week later. MacDonald’s younger brother James, also of Guelph, trains the precocious trotter, who has earned a total of $70,000 in his first three starts.

Mike Saftic also chose the front-end route to the winner’s circle from Post 3 in the second race. The veteran reinsman fired Hitithard out to a :30.3 opening quarter and kept his foot on the accelerator to the 1:01 half, passing by the grandstand a full 10 lengths ahead of the rest of the field. Mapleson and Striking Lindsey made inroads on Hitithard’s lead before the 1:31.4 three-quarters, but the pacesetter had something left in reserve and picked up the tempo in the stretch, reaching the wire three and a half lengths on top.

Mapleson delivered a game effort to finish second and Striking Lindsey was five more lengths to the rear in third.

The 2:01.2 mile was the fastest of the three Gold Eliminations and marked Hitithard’s second straight visit to the winner’s circle. Fourth in the Gold Series season opener, the Mr Lavec son captured the Gold Consolation at Kawartha Downs in a track record 1:57.1. John Ciarpelli trains the winner of $33,200 for Faye Antoniou of Waterloo and Anne Della Maestra of Waterdown.

The last Gold Elimination saw Dashing Earl reach the opening fraction in :30.3 before yielding to fan favourite Rosesbowls MVP. In rein to Steve Condren, Rosesbowls MVP went on to a 1:01.3 half and a 1:33.4 three-quarters, and then battled fiercely in the stretch to hold off a fast closing Sin To Win and post a neck victory in 2:03.1. Early leader Dashing Earl rounded out the top three and secured the final spot in next Monday’s $120,000 Gold Final.

Trainer Bob McIntosh of Windsor and C S X Stables of Liberty Center, OH bred and own Rosesbowls MVP, whose full sister Pasadena Princess has earned $102,419 in her sophomore season to date. The son of Berndt Hanover and Armbro Rosebowl was second in his July 15 Gold Elimination and finished third in the final.

The top three finishers from each elimination will return to Grand River Raceway on Monday, Aug. 4 for their second $120,000 Gold Final, part of the Elora oval’s annual Industry Day event. In addition to the two-year-old trotting colts, fans will be treated to the $300,000 Battle of Waterloo Final for Ontario-sired freshman pacing colts, along with a full slate of fun-filled trackside activities.

Mopey Corey, Hitithard and Rosesbowls MVP will lead the field of trotting colts back to Elora, lining up behind the starting gate as follows:

Post 1 — Mopey Corey

Post 2 — Sin To Win

Post 3 — Mr Escadar

Post 4 — Dashing Earl

Post 5 — Rosesbowls MVP

Post 6 — Hitithard

Post 7 — Mapleson

Post 8 — Matador Bo

Post 9 — Striking Lindsey

AE 1 — Striking Ray

AE 2 — Pointe Of Honour

AE 3 — Vangogh Lavictoire

For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rgrvrtu.html.