GLOUCESTER, ON — Last season’s Grassroots Champion Fast Pay delivered an impressive effort in Gold Series action at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday evening, capturing the second of three $40,000 Gold Eliminations.
The three-year-old pacing colt and driver Paul MacDonell got away fourth from Post 3, but were driving hard up the outside well before the :57 half. The fan favourites had established a three length lead by the 1:24.3 three-quarters, which Fast Pay extended to seven lengths before stopping the Rideau Carleton teletimer at 1:53.2. Shady Cam, a Gold Final winner at two, finished second, with early pacesetter Blue Suede Shoes rounding out the top three.
Dave Menary trains Fast Pay for his father Larry Menary of Caledon, Denis Breton of Welland, and Phil Silvestri and Joseph Settimi of Hamilton. Since qualifying at Mohawk Racetrack on April 24 the Western Terror colt has also recorded a win in overnight action at Mohawk and a runner-up finish in the May 23 Upper Canada Cup Final at Georgian Downs. Sunday’s triumph boosted his lifetime earnings to $103,916.
The fastest mile of the evening was logged by OK Boromir in the last Gold Elimination. Starting from Post 2, the No Pan Intended son took control of the race heading for the :56.4 half, logged a 1:24.3 three-quarters and then fought off a late stretch challenge from Upper Canada Cup winner Stonebridge Terror to claim a head victory in 1:52.3. Sunday was the second time this season that OK Boromir and Stonebridge Terror have finished inches apart. The colts, sent off as co-favourites by Rideau Carleton fans, were also one-two by a neck in their Upper Canada Cup elimination on May 16.
Making his first appearance in OK Boromir’s race bike, Mark MacDonald engineered the impressive Gold Elimination victory for trainer Frank Baker, Jr. of Thamesford and his partners Wray and Janet Wilson of Thorndale. Through four sophomore starts the colt now boasts a record of two wins and one second and has inflated his lifetime bank balance to $141,050.
Early leader L H Remachable completed the triactor in the third elimination and advanced to next week’s $130,000 Gold Final.
The other elimination trophy went home with Primary Purpose, who led through all stations en route to a four length victory in 1:54.1. Brad Forward, recently returned from the World Driving Championship in Norway, crafted the front-end trip for the Cammibest son, who was also an elimination winner in the Upper Canada Cup.
Casie Coleman trains Primary Purpose for Rod Therres of Surrey, BC and Charles MacFarlane of Victoria, BC. Conditioned by Therres as a two-year-old, Primary Purpose amassed a perfect record of seven wins in seven starts at Fraser Downs in Surrey, BC. Since arriving in Coleman’s barn in late April the gelding has two wins, one second and one third to his credit through six starts.
My Gift To You and Mild Mannered picked up second and third-place honours behind Primary Purpose.
The top three finishers from each elimination will make a return trip to Ottawa on Sunday, June 7 for the first $130,000 Gold Final of their sophomore campaign.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0531ridcfn.dat.