CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Patience proved very virtuous to Peter Wallinder and Beach Party AS in the two-year-old trotting filly Gold Final at Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday evening.
The pair started from Post 1 in the $130,000 contest and Wallinder had Beach Party AS in gear early, but opted not to get into a first turn squabble for control with sharply leaving South Bay and fan favourite Peach Martini. Those two fillies battled to a :13.3 opening eighth and a :28.3 quarter — with South Bay ringing up the first fraction and Peach Martini edging her way to the top by the second — while Beach Party AS watched comfortably from third.
Trainer-driver Rick Zeron of Oakville, ON set Peach Martini’s cruise control dial on a moderate setting heading for the :59 half, but had to push accelerate when Oh Sweet Baby mounted a challenge from the outside, and the fillies hit the three-quarters less than a length apart in 1:27.4. Elimination winner Enchantment looked poised to strike gold from behind Oh Sweet Baby, but put an end to her connection’s hopes when she went off stride turning for home.
Enchantment’s departure from the outer tier opened a door for Beach Party AS, who had been sitting on the rail behind Peach Martini and South Bay, and Wallinder wasted no time sending his filly through the entryway. Once Beach Party AS found open ground she needed little urging from Wallinder, sprinting down the stretch to snatch a half length victory away from Peach Martini in a personal best 1:57.1. Oh Sweet Baby’s first over attack earned her third-place honours.
Reigning Gold Final champion Extraordinaire made an early miscue that knocked her out of contention for a third title and saw her finish 11 lengths behind the leaders in seventh.
Wallinder crafted the patient steer for trainer Anette Lorentzon and owner-breeders ACL Stuteri AB of Paris, KY. In spite of their elimination victory at Mohawk Racetrack last week, the pair went off as the eighth choice in the ten filly field, gifting their fans with pay outs of $57.10 to win, $18.40 to place and $10.30 to show.
In the Kadabra daughter’s only other start this season she made an early break and finished seventh in her Aug. 2 Gold Elimination at Mohawk Racetrack, failing to advance to the Aug. 9 Gold Final.
The two-year-old trotting fillies now enjoy a month long break in their Gold Series schedule, which will see them head to Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sept. 24 for their fourth set of Gold Eliminations.
Mohawk Racetrack fans do not have to wait for their next dose of Ontario Sires Stakes excitement, as the gifted three-year-old pacing colts will duel in two $40,000 Gold Eliminations on Friday, Aug. 27. The Campbellville oval’s first race goes in behind the starting gate at 7:30 pm on Friday, with the highly competitive colts squaring off in Races 2 and 3.
For complete results please go to: Mohawk Racetrack Results — August 26, 2010