CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Warrawee Lassie scored her third straight victory on Monday evening at Mohawk Racetrack, capturing the second of three $40,000 Gold Eliminations.
In rein to Oakville resident Rick Zeron, Warrawee Lassie eased away from Post 3 and was sitting fifth when Rebelious Royalty reached the opening quarter in :28.4. Heading for the :58.4 half Zeron sent the Kadabra daughter up the outside, flushing Angel Creek out for cover before the 1:28.4 three-quarters.
Turning for home Warrawee Lassie was sitting four and a half lengths behind Rebelious Royalty in fifth, but when Zeron hit the accelerator the filly rocketed down the stretch to a one and one-quarter length victory, stopping the clock in a personal best 1:58.3.
Rebelious Royalty had to settle for second after doing most of the work on the front end, and Angel Creek stayed game for third. Fourth-place finisher Little River Dance, who pressed the pace through the middle of the mile, also advanced to the Aug. 10 Gold Final. Fan favourite and reigning Gold Final champion Sooner Than Later made an early break and finished well back in eighth.
The win peeled three seconds off Warrawee Lassie’s former personal best — a 2:01.4 effort she recorded in the second leg of the In Free Trotting Series at Mohawk on July 26 — and allowed Zeron to use a style other than the pacesetting one that had earned the filly her first two victories.
Frank O’Reilly of Orton trains Warrawee Lassie and shares ownership on the talented youngster with breeder Dr. Michael Wilson of Rockwood and brothers John and Jim Fielding of Toronto. The daughter of former Grassroots Champion Independent Lassie will start from Post 1 in next week’s $130,000 Gold Final.
Ruling Class earned her first lifetime victory in the opening Gold Elimination, leading a sweep of the top three by daughters of Angus Hall. Guelph resident Paul MacDonell engineered the win, which saw Ruling Class cruise through fractions of :29.2, :59.3 and 1:29.2 en route to the 1:58.3 score. Longshot Cross Of Lorraine trailed the fan favourites around the Mohawk oval into second-place, one and three-quarter lengths to the rear, while Julia Jet was nine lengths back in third.
Peterborough resident John Bax trains Ruling Class for his partners Bob Anderson of St. Thomas, David Anderson of Aurora and Harry Locke of Oshawa. The partners acquired the daughter of Rare Elegance, the first foal from former Ontario Sires Stakes superstar Elegantimage, at the Harrisburg Yearling Sale for $40,000. In her first four starts she finished fifth in her July 5 Robert Stewart division at Mohawk, second in her July 13 Gold Elimination and third by a head in the July 20 Gold Final at Grand River Raceway, and second in her July 26 Bud Light Stakes division at Flamboro Downs.
MacDonell will steer Ruling Class from Post 5 in next Monday’s Gold Final.
Wilsonator picked up her second Gold Elimination trophy with a 1:57.1 front end effort in the last split, with Isthatallyagot and Windcross rounding out the top three.
Kadabra daughter Wilsonator impressed fans at Grand River Raceway with a track record 2:00.4 in her July 13 Gold Elimination, but made an early break in the final and had to settle for fifth. Driver Mike Saftic and trainer Michael Wade will be looking to add a Gold Final trophy to their collection from Post 8 on Aug. 10.
Edward Wilson of Seagrave and Michael Pozefsky of Gloversville, NY bred and own Wilsonator, a Kadabra daughter from their mare Sahalee who surpassed her three elder siblings with Monday’s victory.
The complete line up for the Monday, Aug. 10 Gold Final is as follows:
Post 1 Warrawee Lassie
Post 2 Isthatallyagot
Post 3 Little River Dance
Post 4 Julia Jet
Post 5 Ruling Class
Post 6 Rebelious Royalty
Post 7 Angel Creek
Post 8 Wilsonator
Post 9 Cross Of Lorraine
Post 10 Windcross
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0803mohsn.dat.