DUNDAS, ON — Alias Seelster did not need a disguise when she came off the track at Flamboro Downs on Thursday afternoon. Sent off as the fan favourite, the two-year-old pacing filly delivered the goods, going gate to wire in a smart 1:57.2.
With Mike Sumner in the race bike, Alias Seelster powered away from Post 5 in the first $37,683 Gold Elimination and never faced a serious challenge, rolling through fractions of :28.4, :58.4 and 1:28 en route to the half length victory over Valkyrie Hanover and Stunning Beauty.
The win put trainer Ray Bunn and his partner Lisa Steward, both of Denfield, solidly in the black after just one start. The pair acquired the Intrepid Seelster daughter for a mere $8,000 at last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale. Bunn prepped Alias Seelster for Thursday’s race with a June 18 qualifier over Hiawatha Horse Park that saw her romp to a 23 length win in 2:00.1 and caused Flamboro fans to send her off as their top choice.
Handicappers did not have such good luck in the second elimination when favourite Laura Mae made an early break in stride and had to settle for third. Those who selected longshot Draconian Promise as their number one pick went home smiling however, as the Rustler Hanover daughter sprinted down the stretch to snatch the win from Imagine Freedom.
Draconian Promise and Lyle MacArthur stopped the clock at 1:59.1, one and a quarter lengths ahead of Imagine Freedom and two and three-quarter lengths up on Laura Mae.
Another bargain basement yearling buy, Draconian Promise cost Hamilton residents Cully Keetch and Lawrence Simon just $4,500 at last year’s Summer Sizzler Sale. Trainer Patrick Keetch qualified the filly twice in preparation for Thursday’s test, but her third and fourth-place finishes relegated her to the bottom of the pile in the public’s eyes.
The final elimination went to favourite Don’t You Smile, who also used a pocket trip to score her 1:59.3 victory. Jody Jamieson drove the Grinfromeartoear miss to the victory for his father Carl Jamieson of Princeton, the George Arthur Stable of Milton, Fred Brayford of Alliston and Thomas Kyron of Etobicoke.
The highest price filly in the Gold Series season opener, Don’t You Smile was hammered down to the group for $70,000 from the 2004 Forest City Yearling Sale.
Bold Bidder made a brave move around the last turn to land the runner-up spot and Zeglarska Street rounded out the top three in Race 9.
The top three finishers from each elimination will return to Flamboro Downs on Thursday, July 7 to compete in the first of five $130,000 Gold Finals on their schedule this summer.
For complete results please go to:
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rflmdth.html