DUNDAS, ON — When the call to the post came for the first race of Flamboro Downs’ Confederation Cup program on Sunday, a ripple of excitement ran through the grandstand and fans knew they were in for an afternoon of exceptional harness racing.
Five races later Ontario’s gifted two-year-old trotting colts delivered the first history making moment, as Pointe To Pointe carved out a track, Ontario Sires Stakes and Canadian record with an outstanding 1:58.3 effort.
Starting from Post 7 in the $130,000 Gold Final, driver Wayne Henry had the Mutineer gelding in high gear the moment the wings folded. Pointe To Pointe surged out to an early lead, reaching the quarter mile marker in :28.2. Still on top at the :58 half and 1:28.3 three-quarters, Pointe To Pointe cruised under the wire two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Scotty Doesnt Know and Text Me.
The victory stripped two-fifths of a second off the 1:59 Ontario Sires Stakes record set by Sin To Win last season at Grand River Raceway, and took one full second off the 1:59.3 Flamboro Downs two-year-old trotting colt record matched by Pointe To Pointe in last week’s elimination round.
Through five starts the gelding boasts a record of three wins and one second for earnings of $114,575. All three of the trotter’s victories have come over the Flamboro Downs half-mile; in addition to Sunday’s Gold Final and last weekend’s elimination win, Pointe To Pointe was also victorious in his division of the Bud Light Stakes on July 4.
Wayne Henry trains Pointe To Pointe for his partners in the Henry Stable of Arthur and Jeffrey Thomson of Chesley. A half-brother to last year’s two-year-old trotting colt Super Final champion Pointe Of Honour ($270,172), Pointe To Pointe was a bargain-priced $8,000 yearling at last fall’s Forest City Sale. The gelding is the sixth foal of $246,422 winner Garland Bonita.
After Bay Of Sharks (1:52.1) and River Shark (1:52.3) nabbed their respective Confederation Cup Eliminations, the two-year-old pacing colts paraded onto the Dundas oval for their $130,000 Gold Final event.
Starting from Post 3, heavy favourites Wellthereyougo and Randy Waples were on the move early, reaching the quarter pole in :27.4. The pair marched on through a :57.4 half and 1:26.1 three-quarters before sprinting down the stretch to a 1:54.4 victory. Toughest Of All and Paul MacDonell did their best to reel in the pacesetters through the final strides, but had to settle for second, three-quarters of a length back. Future Million and Simon Allard rounded out the top three, two lengths behind the leaders.
Wellthereyougo is now flawless through his last four starts, capturing last week’s Gold Elimination, and his elimination and the final of the Battle of Waterloo. Through six starts the son of Camluck and Cheeky Hanover has not finished worse than fourth, banking $280,450 for owners Dr. Ian Moore of Charlottetown, PEI, R G McGroup Ltd. of Bathurst, NB, and Serge Savard of Saint-Bruno, QC.
Moore also trains the colt, who was a $45,000 acquisition at the Harrisburg Yearling Sale last fall. Wellthereyougo made one start over the Charlottetown oval before shipping to Ontario for the July 12 Gold Series season opener. The talented young pacer was second in his elimination and fourth in the July 19 final before starting his current four race win streak.
The Confederation Cup Final served as the finale to a spectacular day of harness racing, and fan favourite If I Can Dream controlled the tempo and claimed the victor’s spoils with a 1:52.1 effort. Elimination winners River Shark and Bay Of Sharks had to settle for second and third.
Ontario’s gifted freshmen trotting colts will resume their Gold Series rivalry on Aug. 23 at Mohawk Racetrack, while the pacing colts do not return to Sires Stakes action until Sept. 20 at Rideau Carleton Raceway. The Ontario Sires Stakes program makes its seventh stop at Flamboro Downs on Wednesday, Sept. 2 with Grassroots action for the three-year-old trotting fillies.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0816flmdn.dat.