CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Luck of the draw landed last week’s elimination winners on the outer half of the Mohawk Racetrack starting gate for Monday’s $130,000 Gold Final, but the two-year-old trotting colts proved bad luck can be overcome by talent and hard work.
Elimination winners Holy Kadabra, Buckhams Bay and Plato lined up at Posts 7, 8 and 10 respectively for the first Gold Final of their careers, and when the starting gate pulled away from the field all three colts were in high gear.
Holy Kadabra reached the opening eighth in :14.2, but was quickly overtaken by fan favourite Buckhams Bay. En route to the :29.4 quarter Buckhams Bay handed off the lead to Plato, but driver Jacques Hebert was not content to sit in the pocket and fired Buckhams Bay right back to the front before the :57.4 half.
If Hebert had hoped for a mid-race breather, he was out of luck as Blazin Benny came roaring up the outside to challenge. Only a neck separated the colts at the 1:27.4 three-quarters, but when the pair turned for home it was clear that Buckhams Bay had disposed of the challenger. Trotting strongly down the stretch without any urging from Hebert, Buckhams Bay opened up a one and one-half length margin on the field, cruising under the wire to a 1:57.3 victory.
Imperial Count followed Blazin Benny up the outside, then circled around that flagging colt into second spot, with Holy Kadabra sliding out behind him into third. From two and one-half lengths back, Plato earned the fourth-place finisher’s share for owners George and Gregory Johnson of Milton, ON, while Blazin Benny was nine lengths to the rear in fifth.
Jacques Hebert crafted the front end trip aboard Buckhams Bay for trainer John Smith of Woodlawn ON. Smith also bred and owns Buckhams Bay, who is by Ken Warkentin and out of his prolific mare Merles Image.
A half-brother to $1.1 million winner Mc Cooeye and $337,914 winner Merles Pearl, Buckhams Bay learned his early lessons in a pair of qualifiers at Rideau Carleton Raceway. On June 17 the talented young trotter was a one length winner in 2:04.3, and on June 24 he was a 16 length winner in 2:03.3. In last week’s elimination, Hebert piloted the colt to a commanding six and one-quarter length triumph in 1:57.2. With just two starts under his belt, the colt has already banked $85,000.
The two-year-old trotting colts will match wits for the second time this season at Grand River Raceway on Wednesday, July 28. Mohawk Racetrack continues to spotlight the Ontario Sires Stakes program, with the exciting three-year-old pacing colts bringing their high speed rivalry to the Campbellville oval for Gold Elimination action on Saturday, July 31.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0719mohsn.dat.