FRASERVILLE, ON — Kawartha Downs fans decided to overlook last week’s runner-up effort and place their faith squarely on Elusive Desire on Saturday, and the three-year-old trotting filly did not disappoint, touring unchallenged around the Fraserville oval to her second Gold Final victory.

With Oshawa native Paul MacDonell in the race bike, Elusive Desire trotted strongly away from Post 4 to a :29.1 opening quarter. MacDonell was aware early that last week’s elimination winner Friendly Amigo would not be a factor in the race, as the track record holder was off stride from Post 3 before the start. Rail sitter Cuddler was also offstride early, which interfered with the other elimination winner, John Bax trainee Mets Inn, who was starting from the trailing Post 9.

One and three-quarter lengths ahead of the field by the :59 half, Elusive Desire and MacDonell maintained that margin through the 1:27.2 three-quarters and then stepped up the tempo heading around the final turn. The pair turned for home three lengths ahead of their peers and cruised under the wire four and one-quarter lengths the best in 1:56.2.

Novelty AS picked up the second-place finisher’s share of the $130,000 Gold Final purse, with Mystic River rounding out the top three. Mets Inn’s bad luck extended to the finish as the filly caused interference turning for home and was placed from fourth back to seventh.

Saturday’s victory was Elusive Desire’s ninth of the season, through 15 starts. The Angus Hall miss has also been second once and third three times for total earnings of $573,102. In addition to her pair of Gold Final trophies, Elusive Desire has also garnered victories in the Canadian Breeders Championship, the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association Stake, and the Simcoe Stakes. In addition she posted elimination wins in the Elegantimage and Hambletonian Oaks.

Mike Keeling trains the talented young trotter, who was the division champion in 2008, for P C Wellwood Enterprises Inc. of Cambridge, Charles Armstrong of Brampton and Robert Fasken of Oakville.

The filly will make her next start in the Oct. 17 Breeders Crown Eliminations at Woodbine Racetrack, where she will meet up with the top North American fillies for the third time this season.

The top 10 point earners through the Gold Series regular season will meet up for their last provincial test in the $300,000 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack on Nov. 14.

Kawartha Downs will host its final Ontario Sires Stakes event of the season on Tuesday, Oct. 13, spotlighting the two-year-old trotting fillies in their last regular season Grassroots contest. Post time for Tuesday’s program is 4:15 pm.

For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r1010kdfn.dat.