ELORA, SEPT. 26, 2011 — Monday night’s Gold Final result made it official — Machapelo is king of the two-year-old pacing colt heap when it comes to competition at Grand River Raceway.

Squaring off against reigning Gold Final champion I Found My Beach and two-time Gold Final champion Warrawee Needy, Machapelo fired off the starting gate from Post 6 and wrestled control from early leader Addwater before the :57.1 half. The Mach Three son and driver Scott Zeron continued to lead the pack at the 1:25.2 three-quarters and were revving up for a challenge from Warrawee Needy, who had been lurking on the outside from the start.

Turning for home Machapelo had less than a length on Warrawee Needy, and I Found My Beach was sizing up the leaders from third, but the pacesetter battled like a warrior down the stretch and hung on for a head victory in 1:54.2. Fan favourites Jody Jamieson and Warrawee Needy settled for second, with I Found My Beach and Randy Waples just a half-length back in third.

Zeron engineered Machapelo’s first ever Gold Series victory for trainer Mike Keeling of Cambridge and owner-breeder Enviro Stables of Miami, FL. Capturing the rich $170,000 Gold Final boosted the colt’s earnings to $408,843 and his freshman record to three wins, four seconds and one third in 11 starts.

The last time the freshman pacing colts met at Grand River was in the $300,000 Battle Of Waterloo Final on Aug. 1, when the lightly rated Machapelo vanquished the heavily favoured Warrawee Needy by five lengths. Since then Machapelo has finished second to I Found My Beach in Gold Elimination and Final action at Flamboro Downs, fifth in his Metro Pace Elimination at Mohawk Racetrack and second in the consolation, and captured his Champlain Stakes division at Mohawk on Sept. 10 in a personal best 1:51.3.

Monday’s victory moved Machapelo into second spot in the freshman pacing colt division standings, still 143 points behind Warrawee Needy, but already assured of a berth in the Nov. 12 Super Final.

Machapelo and Zeron will attempt to defend their Gold Final title at Woodbine Racetrack on Oct. 3 and 10.

Grand River Raceway continues an outstanding week of Ontario Sires Stakes racing with Gold Final action for the three-year-old pacing colts on Wednesday and the three-year-old trotting colts on Friday evening. Post time for both events is 7:10 pm.

For complete results please go to: Grand River Raceway Results — Sept. 26, 2011