GLOUCESTER, ON — Rideau Carleton Raceway delivers a second impressive line-up of Ontario trotting stars on Friday evening when the talented two-year-old colts compete in their $130,000 Gold Final.

Following up on the sophomore filly Gold Eliminations on Thursday, the colts star in the seventh race on Rideau’s Friday evening program with elimination winner Brazen looking for his fifth straight victory from Post 4. The son of Balanced Image is undefeated this season and driver Trevor Ritchie has been impressed with the young trotter since his July 12 debut.

“Right from the first, every time I’ve driven him he’s done everything I’ve asked him to do,” says Ritchie, who has piloted such Ontario Sires Stakes standouts as Hambletonian winner Yankee Paco and Maple Leaf Trot winner Rotation. “At this point in time he hasn’t done anything that would lead me to believe he can’t be as good as any horse I’ve ever driven.”

In last week’s elimination round at the Ottawa oval Brazen laid down all the fractions on his way to a one-length 2:03.1 victory, but Ritchie says the young trotter is very versatile to drive and has yet to be asked for any speed off the gate.

“That was the first time he has cut a mile and the only reason I ended up in the front was because Mike Saftic’s horse (Victory Hall) was on the front when we went into the first turn and it made a break, which deposited me at the front,” explains the Acton resident. “And at Windsor (Aug. 4) I was going to duck into the three-hole, but the pace was so slow and the horse on the front was looking for some cover, so I decided to roll around to the front.

“So, no he doesn’t have to be in front, and he doesn’t demand it. At this point in time I would say he’s very versatile.”

Owned and trained by Allentown, NJ resident Trond Smedshammer, whose Windsong’s Legacy captured this year’s edition of the Hambletonian, Brazen learned his early lessons at The Meadowlands before shipping north to compete in the first Gold Series event.

A 2:04 winner in his July 12 elimination at Woodbine Racetrack, the colt romped to a five length 1:59 victory in the Gold Final seven days later. In the second Gold event at Windsor Raceway the colt easily captured his elimination in 2:01, but came up sick afterwards and was withdrawn from the Final. As a result, last week’s elimination effort was Brazen’s first start in over two weeks and the talented youngster quickly demonstrated that he had lost none of his early season form.

“He’s never been tired at the wire,” notes Ritchie. “Although you never know when that day will come. It usually comes before you want it to.”

Among the colts the veteran reinsman will be watching in the Final are the other elimination winner Classic Lavec, who will start from Post 5, and Windsor Gold Final winner Mill Work, who gets Post 3. However, Ritchie is quick to point out that every horse is a contender when $130,000 is on the line.

“Obviously every horse that makes it to the Final has made it because they have done some good. And you never know what will happen in these baby races, especially with trotters,” he says. “I’m just hoping he races his race, and I think if he does, he should be one of the horses to watch at the wire.”

Ritchie will also be at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Thursday night driving Ifhallscouldtalk for Ottawa resident Melvin Hartman, but the avid golfer has had to pass up on an offer to spend some time on the links in between races due to a back injury he suffered in an Aug. 9 spill at Woodbine.

“I’m getting better. I raced four horses last night (Monday) and I had been getting a sharp pain in my back, but last night I didn’t get any of that. I got a little tired, back-wise, but no pain,” says the 48-year-old. “I’m about 80 per cent I’d say. I’m hoping to be fully recovered by this weekend.”

Racing gets under way at 6:30 pm on Friday with the two-year-old trotting colts starring in Race 7.