CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Jody Jamieson had Monkey On My Wheel on cruise control at Mohawk Racetrack on Tuesday evening, guiding the three-year-old pacing filly to her second straight Gold Final victory.
With only nine fillies entered in last week’s Gold Elimination all of the entrants proceeded straight to Tuesday’s final and when Tanned For Life was scratched due to sickness, only eight fillies were left to compete for the rich $170,000 Gold Final purse.
Modern Connection and driver Mark MacDonald took advantage of the shorter field to sprint away from the outside Post 8 to a :12.3 opening eighth. The pair maintained control through the :27 quarter, but were soon challenged by Patsys Luck, who rolled by to a :54.3 half.
Jamieson had heavy favourite Monkey On My Wheel on the move up the outside heading by the half and the filly had established control before the 1:23 three-quarters. At the 1:36 seven-eighths clocking Monkey On My Wheel was a four length leader and her pursuers were only able to make minimal inroads before the wire.
Monkey On My Wheel cruised home to a three and one-quarter length victory over Camille and five lengths up on Waasmula, halting the Mohawk teletimer in a personal best 1:50.2. Modern Connection landed the fourth-place finisher’s share and Athenas Legacy sprinted into fifth to complete the money earners.
The win boosted Monkey On My Wheel’s sophomore record to six wins, four seconds and one third in 13 starts for earnings of $441,208. The daughter of Mach Three and Legislation leads the sophomore pacing filly division with 244 Gold Series points earned from two Gold Final victories, one Gold Elimination victory, three seconds and one fourth.
Travis Umphrey conditions Monkey On My Wheel and the Guelph resident also shares ownership of the talented youngster with breeder Mac Nichol of Burlington. The filly will have an opportunity to defend her Gold Final title at Woodbine Racetrack on Oct. 6 and 13, before taking aim on North America’s best in the Oct. 22 Breeders Crown Eliminations at Woodbine.
Monkey On My Wheel had her first test against the continent’s top fillies in the Sept. 5 Simcoe Stakes at Mohawk, and did her province proud, finishing a narrowly beaten second off a parked out trip.
Mohawk Racetrack offers an outstanding line up of Ontario Sires Stakes action this week, hosting the three-year-old trotting fillies in their fourth Gold Final event on Thursday, and then welcoming the top Grassroots two-year-olds on Friday and the three-year-olds on Saturday for exciting Semifinal action. Post time for all three events is 7:10pm.
For complete results please go to: Mohawk Racetrack Results — Sept. 20, 2011