CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Trainer Tony O’Sullivan had a hunch that Mach A Wish could compete with Ontario’s top three-year-old pacing lasses and his intuition paid off on Monday evening as the filly sailed to a Gold Final triumph at Mohawk Racetrack.

With Rick Zeron back in the race bike, Mach A Wish lined up behind Post 2 in her first $130,000 Gold Final. Mia Seelster won the early foot race, reaching the eighth in :12.3, and Zeron dropped Mach A Wish in behind the pacesetter.

Mia Seelster still had a short lead at the :26.3 quarter, but was under pressure from reigning Gold Final champion Cooking The Books. Once Cooking The Books secured the lead Zeron decided it was time to shift Mach A Wish into a higher gear and the filly had taken command of the front end before the :54.3 half.

Mach A Wish reached the 1:22.2 three quarters with a one and one-quarter length lead and had extended that to one and one-half lengths by the 1:36.2 seven-eighths. Fan favourite Apogee Hanover did her best to catch Mach A Wish in the stretch, but the leader cruised home to a one length victory in a personal best 1:50.2.

Apogee Hanover and Class Of O Nine, who were both forced out three-wide at the three-quarters, finished second and third.

Cambridge resident O’Sullivan shares ownership of Mach A Wish with David Goodrow Stable of Cambridge. The partners purchased the Mach Three daughter in late February and patiently waited for her emergence onto the Gold Series scene after an injury kept her on the sidelines for almost three months this spring. Monday’s triumph boosted Mach A Wish’s record to six wins, three seconds and two thirds in 12 starts for earnings of $138,180.

Also featured on Mohawk Racetrack’s Monday evening program were seven $24,000 Grassroots divisions for the exciting three-year-old pacing colts.

Moffat resident Jody Jamieson guided two young pacers to victory, starting with Red Carpet Dude in the second race. The pair rocketed home from sixth at the top of the stretch to grab a head victory over In Commando in a personal best 1:51.3. Pacesetter Thunder Steeler, owned by Uncirculated Stable of Burlington and Frank Smyth of Dundas, finished third.

Rockwood resident Andrew McCabe conditions Red Carpet Dude for Glenview Livestock Ltd. of Wallenstein and Bill Manes of Rockwood. Monday’s win was the Camluck gelding’s second straight in Grassroots action and virtually assures him of a spot in the post season.

Jamieson also landed fan favourite Huxley in the winner’s circle following the eighth race, hustling down the stretch to a half length win in a personal best 1:52.2. Carsons Cracker and Highland Bogart completed the top three.

Cheltenham resident David Menary trains Huxley for Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown, PA and Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, PA. The win was the Modern Art gelding’s second of the season, with both coming in Grassroots action.

Driver Sylvain Filion, who was sitting third in the Ontario Sires Stakes driver’s standings heading into the evening, also picked up two more victories. The Milton resident hustled lightly rated Northmedo Highgear home to a neck victory over Regal Delight in a personal best 1:51.2. Machapelo rounded out the top three.

Filion engineered the Geartogear son’s win for trainer Michael Medors and Northmedo Stable of Painesville, OH. In nine starts Northmedo Highgear has now tallied five wins and earnings of $36,140. Monday’s win was the gelding’s first in Grassroots action.

In the tenth race Filion employed front end tactics to land OK Ebury his first Grassroots win of the season, hanging on for a half length score over So Take That and Life Signature, a stablemate of Red Carpet Dude owned by Rockwood residents Bill Manes and Steven Papillon, Steven Brunelle of Grand Bend and Leonard Christopher of Acton.

OK Ebury halted the Mohawk teletimer at 1:52 to record his second win in 10 starts for trainer Richard Moreau and owner Luc Loyer of Gatineau, QC.

The other Grassroots divisions were captured by Modern Xhibit in 1:51.2; Better Get Ready in 1:50.4; and Lucky Jet in 1:50.3.

The three-year-old pacing colts wrap up their regular season at Hiawatha Horse Park on Sept. 6, and the top 16 point earners following that event will advance to the Sept. 19 Semifinals at Grand River Raceway.

Next up at Mohawk Racetrack is the three-year-old trotting filly Gold Final on Thursday, Aug. 30. The fillies will battle in Race 5 with the first race going in behind the gate at 7:10 pm.

For complete results please go to Mohawk Racetrack Results — August 27, 2012