CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Evolving into the Rodney Dangerfield of the two-year-old trotting filly division, defending Gold Final champion Extraordinaire once again rolled in behind the Mohawk Racetrack starting gate ranked behind one of her peers, and for the second Monday in a row delivered a compelling victory.
With trainer-driver Wayne Henry in the race bike, Extraordinaire powered away from Post 6 to take early command in the $130,000 Gold Final. The pair reached the eighth pole in :13.3, with elimination winner Enchantment in hot pursuit from Post 8. Enchantment reached the front before the :28.3 quarter, but her reign was fleeting as Henry immediately sent Extraordinaire back to the lead.
Heading for the 1:00 half, Extraordinaire came under heavy pressure from elimination winner Peach Martini, but refused to yield control and the fillies raced into the final turn head to head. By the 1:29.3 three-quarters, Peach Martini had clearly had her fill of the outer path on a track rated one second slower than normal, and My Whispering Eye was leading a three-wide challenge followed by her James MacDonald stablemate Scorpius.
Squaring up for the stretch drive Extraordinaire had a one and a half length advantage, and in spite of their best efforts My Whispering Eye and elimination winner Marys Out Cruisin were unable to cut it down to less than one length. Powering across the finish line, Extraordinaire stopped the clock at 1:59.2 to score her second straight Gold Final victory.
My Whispering Eye edged out Marys Out Cruisin for second, while her stablemate Scorpius overtook a tiring Peach Martini for fourth.
Arthur, ON resident Henry trains and drives Extraordinaire for his brother and partner in the Henry Stable, Trevor Henry of Arthur, ON and James Laverty of Sauble Beach, ON. The daughter of Duke Of York and She Has It was a $16,000 purchase from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale and started her career with a fourth-place finish in the Gold Series season opener at Flamboro Downs on July 16. Seven days later she posted her first victory in the $130,000 Gold Final and has been flawless ever since, capturing her elimination at Mohawk last week from Post 9 in 1:59.3.
With two Gold Final trophies, a record of three wins in four starts, and earnings of $153,200, Extraordinaire might just achieve race favourite status when the two-year-old trotting fillies return to Mohawk Racetrack for their third Gold Series event on Thursday, Aug. 19.
While Extraordinaire has had trouble getting race fans to take her seriously, three-year-old pacing filly Western Silk has only had that problem once this season — in the final of the Fan Hanover Stakes when she went off as the third choice and paced home to a 1:50.1 victory.
On Monday, fans established the Western Terror daughter as the heavy favourite in the $170,000 Gold Final, but Cambridge, ON resident Mark MacDonald did not allow their expectations to hurry him off the starting gate. The pair floated away from Post 5 and dropped into fifth on the rail as a fierce battle for control was waged at the front of the nine filly field.
Defending Gold Final champion Tiz To Dream left smartly from Post 9, but was engaged in battle by Bay Girl from Post 2 and Ice Ice Baby from Post 4. Ice Ice Baby won the early scuffle and posted a :12.4 opening eighth, then forced Tiz To Dream to expend a fair amount of energy reaching the front just after the :26.1 quarter.
Coming off her recent 1:50 victory in the Canadian Breeders Championship, Bay Girl was eager to make her presence felt in the Ontario Sires Stakes, and driver Jody Jamieson sent Western Silk’s stablemate after the lead heading for the :55 half, however Tiz To Dream did not cede control without a tussle. Firmly established on the front end, Bay Girl rolled by the 1:23.3 three-quarters with a comfortable lead, but Ice Ice Baby was leading a line of challengers up the outside that included Western Silk.
As the fillies turned for home Bay Girl was sitting on a two and three-quarter length lead, but Western Silk was just shifting into gear, and although Bay Girl delivered a valiant effort, Western Silk sprinted past her to secure the 1:51 victory by a length. Attempting to outdo each other, the stablemates left the rest of the field gasping for air; Tiz To Dream and Ice Ice Baby reached the finish together in third and fourth, but they were 10 lengths behind the leaders. Windsong Grand Ave picked up the last Gold Final cheque.
Casie Coleman trains both Western Silk and Bay Girl, and the Cambridge, ON resident shares ownership on Western Silk with Tom Hill of Lancashire, GB. Monday’s victory was Western Silk’s second Gold Final title of the season; the talented filly also captured the season opener at Western Fair Raceway on May 28. Through seven starts this season the daughter of Western Terror and Extemporaneous has posted five wins, one second and one third in seven starts and earned $530,213, giving her a career total of $850,017.
Western Silk will have an opportunity to capture a third Gold Final title when the three-year-old pacing fillies square off at Grand River Raceway on Sept. 20, however the filly is also eligible to the Sept. 22 Jugette in Delaware, OH and may take another run at North America’s top fillies in that prestigious event.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement continues at Mohawk Racetrack on Saturday, Aug. 14 when the three-year-old trotting fillies return to the Campbellville oval for their third $130,000 Gold Final.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0809mohsn.dat.