LONDON, ON — Western Fair Raceway’s leading reinsman Doug McNair put his knowledge of the half-mile oval to work in Saturday’s $40,000 Gold Elimination and drove lightly rated three-year-old pacing colt Stonebridge Tonic straight to the winner’s circle.
Drawing Post 7, McNair knew Stonebridge Tonic would have his work cut out for him in the last Gold Elimination of the season, but he also knew the colt had some early speed in his arsenal. When Red Bugler scratched out of the nine horse field due to sickness and Stonebridge Tonic was able to move slightly closer to the middle of the starting gate, McNair decided to take advantage of the pacer’s early step and he timed the gate perfectly, sending Stonebridge Tonic flying off the wings and onto the lead before the field hit the first turn.
At the opening quarter in :27.1, McNair eased off on the accelerator and allowed Big Bay Point to travel up the outside and take over the lead before the :55.2 half. Dalhousie Dave tried to press the pace heading for the 1:23.2 three-quarters, but could not maintain his tempo around the final turn and left space for Stonebridge Tonic to slide out off the rail in the stretch.
Big Bay Point battled to the wire, but Stonebridge Tonic had enough late speed to reel in the fan’s second choice and claim a neck victory in a track record 1:52.4.
Dalhousie Dave earned the third-place finisher’s share of the $40,000 Gold Elimination purse, two and three-quarter lengths behind the battling leaders and just ahead of fourth and fifth-place finishers Future Million and Mach Dreamer. Fan favourite Mach Dreamer was unable to put his trademark late sprint to work after being forced out to the middle of the racetrack around the final turn. The absence of Red Bugler meant that all eight Gold Elimination starters advanced to next Saturday’s $130,000 Gold Final.
Saturday’s victory was Stonebridge Tonic’s second in Gold Elimination action and third of the season. The son of Camluck and Glacier Express has also recorded two seconds and two thirds in his 19 starts for earnings of $178,845. With just next Saturday’s Gold Final remaining of the sophomore pacing colts’ regular season, Stonebridge Tonic sits fifth in the division standings with 140 points, guaranteeing him a berth in the season ending Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack on Nov. 13.
Guelph, ON resident Gregg McNair trains and shares ownership of Stonebridge Tonic with Artana Stables of St. Thomas, ON, the colt’s breeder Angie Stiller of Arva, ON, and Leonard Gamble of Etobicoke, ON.
The partners will be back at Western Fair Raceway next Saturday to cheer Stonebridge Tonic on from Post 5 in the Gold Final. Runner-up Big Bay Point gets Post 4, while two-time Gold Final winner Mach Dreamer will start from Post 6. The complete line up for the Saturday, Nov. 6 Gold Final is as follows:
$130,000 Gold Final — Saturday, Nov. 6 at Western Fair Raceway
Post 1 Dalhousie Dave
Post 2 Keystone Raptor
Post 3 Windsong Gorgeous
Post 4 Big Bay Point
Post 5 Stonebridge Tonic
Post 6 Mach Dreamer
Post 7 Future Million
Post 8 Code Word
For complete results click: Western Fair Raceway Results — Oct. 30, 2010