FRASERVILLE, ON — Lyons Luck moved up from the Grassroots program for Thursday’s Gold Series event at Kawartha Downs and the three-year-old pacing filly proved that she belongs in the top tier with an impressive 1:52.1 score in her $40,000 Gold Elimination.
Starting from Post 2, driver Paul Mackenzie settled Lyons Luck in behind pacesetter Mindsweeper as that filly powered through fractions of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:24.3. As the duo hit the top of the stretch Mackenzie asked Lyons Luck for another gear and the Camluck daughter responded with a sharp finishing kick that propelled her to a half length victory.
Mindsweeper settled for second in the 1:52.1 mile, with Mia Seelster and fan favourite Class Of O Nine completing the top four.
James Ciaran Morrison conditions Lyons Luck for owner Joseph Lyons Mound of Burford, ON. Through seven starts this season the filly has captured three trophies — two Grassroots and Thursday’s Gold Elimination — and posted one second and two third-place finishes for earnings of $70,176. Last season the filly posted one regular season Grassroots win along with a victory in her post season Semifinal.
The other Gold Elimination saw Katys Jet and driver Jonathan Drury storm away from Post 1 and stubbornly refuse to yield through fractions of :28.2, :58.4 and 1:27. Fan favourite, and reigning Gold Final champion, Cooking The Books attempted to challenge through the final quarter, but Katys Jet maintained control and cruised home a three-quarter length winner in 1:55.
Apogee Hanover stepped out of the pocket into second spot in the stretch, leaving Cooking The Books to settle for third, ahead of Hope For Paddy and Eyemajet, who is owned by trainer Richard Fife of Ennismore and Val Spar Stables of West Hill, ON.
The win was the second this season for Katys Jet, a daughter of Jeremes Jet owned by Steve Calhoun of Chatham, ON. Cambridge resident Casie Coleman trains the filly, who was just beaten for second in the $148,540 Canadian Breeders Championship Final at Mohawk Racetrack on July 21.
The filly’s other victory, in a personal best 1:52.1, came in a June 22 overnight event at Mohawk Racetrack. Through nine starts Katys Jet now has two wins and two seconds for earnings of $99,632.
The top four finishers from each elimination and Eyemajet, who earned the additional berth through a random draw between the two fifth-place finishers, will return to Kawartha Downs next Thursday, Aug. 9 to compete in the second $130,000 Gold Final on their 2012 schedule.
The complete line up for next week’s Gold Final is as follows:
$130,000 Gold Final — Thursday, Aug. 9 at Kawartha Downs
Post 1 Mindsweeper
Post 2 Hope For Paddy
Post 3 Lyons Luck
Post 4 Class Of O Nine
Post 5 Eyemajet
Post 6 Mia Seelster
Post 7 Katys Jet
Post 8 Apogee Hanover
Post 9 Cooking The Books
Also Eligible 1 Legal Entity
Also Eligible 2 Bruisers Sister
For complete results please go to Kawartha Downs Results — August 2, 2012