REXDALE, ON — Armbro Wallflower scored her first Gold Series victory and posted the quickest Gold Series Elimination win at Woodbine Racetrack on Friday night.
Leaving from Post 6 the Village Jasper daughter and driver Paul MacDonell sat fifth through the early going, watching pacesetters Pastrami Hanover and Imoutahere roll through fractions of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:25.3. Heading by the three-quarter pole MacDonell sent Armbro Wallflower up the outside behind Maddy Girl and by the top of the stretch the filly was sitting comfortably in third spot, just one and a quarter lengths off the front.
MacDonell then asked Armbro Wallflower for an additional gear heading down the stretch and the filly responded easily, pulling away to a two and a quarter length win over Maddy Girl and Oven Mitt in a personal best 1:53.
“She’s been a nice filly all year,” said MacDonell, who will drive OSS star Duke Of York in tomorrow’s $1 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands. “She raced first over against Precious Delight a few weeks back and was strong. I was a bit worried tonight when we were going up the backstretch as the leaders weren’t going that fast, but she was still able to put in a strong stretch drive to win.”
Trainer Mark Steacy of Lansdowne, Stan Klemencic of Trenton and David Reid of Kingston own the talented Armbro Wallflower, who won the Shore By Five Final at Hippodrome de Montreal on July 26. In 10 starts the filly has a record of four wins, one second and one third and has earned $100,565.
The other division went to Lady Graceful, who jumped back into a tie with Precious Delight in the Super Final point standings. The Camluck daughter and driver Chris Christoforou took control of the race heading to the half mile marker and never relinquished it, cruising to a two length victory in 1:53.2. Nicki Newton and Victorious Killean rounded out the top three.
Lady Graceful’s only losses this season have been to Precious Delight and driver Christoforou expects her to be the favourite heading into next Friday’s $130,000 Gold Final.
“I was hoping to get away up close and move as soon as I could,” said Christoforou in the Woodbine winner’s circle. “She felt super all the way around tonight. She’s got the back class and is definitely one of the contenders for next week’s Final.”
Bob McIntosh of Windsor trains Lady Graceful for Bob Waxman of Ancaster. In addition to her two Gold Elimination wins and one Gold Final triumph in Ontario, the filly has also ventured south of the border to capture a division of the Scarlett O’Hara Stake at Scioto Downs on May 31 and a division of the Tarport Hap on July 19 at The Meadowlands.
The top five finishers from each Gold Elimination will return to Woodbine Racetrack next Friday, Aug. 9 for their fourth $130,000 Gold Final.