WINDSOR, ON — Former Windsor resident Brad Forward extended his lead atop the Ontario Sires Stakes driver’s standings with a victory in Tuesday’s $180,000 Gold Final at Windsor Raceway aboard Lucky Man.
With a total of 405 points from 159 starts, Forward has an insurmountable 139 point lead over Stephen Byron in the Lampman Cup standings, thanks to a strong season aboard horses like the newest three-year-old pacing colt Gold Final champion.
Starting from Post 5, Forward and Lucky Man accelerated away from the starting gate and landed in third spot on the rail as Keystone Horatio and Deuce Seelster battled to a :26.4 opening quarter. As Keystone Horatio led the field of seven to a :55.2 half, Forward was content to maintain his position with Lucky Man, waiting until they were powering down the backstretch to send the colt to the outside.
Ahead by a neck at the 1:23.2 three-quarters, Lucky Man accelerated away from the field to a one and three-quarter length victory, stopping the Windsor teletimer at 1:52.1. Keystone Horatio claimed the runner-up share of the lucrative $180,000 purse, and Deuce Seelster rounded out the top three, four lengths behind the leader. Fan favourite The Mohegan Pan was never a factor in the race and finished a well beaten seventh.
Forward engineered the victory for trainer Casie Coleman of Cambridge and owner Tom Hill of Lancashire, GB, landing the Camluck son in the Gold Series winner’s circle for the first time. In his six earlier provincial appearances, Lucky Man had recorded two thirds and three fourths for a total of 48 points and sixth spot in the division standings.
In 18 sophomore starts, Lucky Man has now accumulated four wins, four seconds and four thirds for a total of $226,500. The gelding recorded his personal best in a prep for Friday’s Gold Final, circling the Woodbine Racetrack oval in 1:51.1 on Oct. 11. In his last eight starts, Lucky Man has finished no worse than second.
The top 10 point earners will now begin preparations for the $300,000 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack on Nov. 15. The Gold Series regulars will be joined by Ontario-sired world champion Somebeachsomewhere, who earned 50 points when he captured the Aug. 10 Gold Final at Mohawk Racetrack.
Windsor Raceway continues its exciting week of Ontario Sires Stakes action with the $180,000 three-year-old trotting colt Gold Final on Wednesday evening. Post time for Wednesday’s program is 7 pm and the talented three-year-old trotting colts will square off in Race 6.
For complete results please go to: http://www.previewsc.ca/racing/results/data/r1028wrfn.dat#N7.