DUNDAS, ON — Famous Seelster extended his win streak to three with an Ontario Sires Stakes record equalling performance in Gold Elimination action at Flamboro Downs on Friday afternoon.
The Bill Budd trainee delivered a classic come-from-behind effort to score the 1:52.1 win, matching the three-year-old pacing colt OSS record set at Flamboro by Pacific Titan in 2002.
Leaving from Post 3 Mike Saftic settled the Rustler Hanover colt fourth on the rail and watched as Killer Rabbit set a sharp early pace, hitting the quarter mile marker in :27 and the half in :55.1. As the colts headed up the backstretch for the second time, Saftic sent Famous Seelster after the lead and was three-wide as the field passed the 1:23.2 three-quarters.
On top by four lengths at the head of the stretch, Saftic and Famous Seelster poured on the power down the lane, leaving the rest of the field reaching for their binoculars as they hit the wire 11 lengths on top. Stonebridge Premio, owned by Robert Waxman of Ancaster, closed well to be second and pacesetter Killer Rabbit held on for third.
C. And I. Siegel Racing Stable Ltd. of Brooklyn, NY and John Fodera of Staten Island, NY acquired Famous Seelster at the Spring Mixed Sale for $100,000 and with Friday’s win the colt has already returned more than two-thirds of his purchase price in just four starts.
Nine races later HBFS Storm scored the second fastest elimination win of the evening for trainer Bill Robinson and owner-breeders HBF Corporation of Farmington Hills, MI. The Native Born colt withstood a tough trip up the outside to score the 1:53.3 win over pacesetter Winning Breed and Bill Budd’s other entry, Village Blitz.
Randy Waples drove HBFS Storm to his second Gold Elimination win of the season, which boosted the colt’s bankroll to $134,056 in 15 starts this season.
The other elimination went to Tommys Luck, in a comparatively sedate 1:56.4. The Camluck son, trained by Brett Pelling for Robert Waxman of Ancaster, overcame an early break in stride to score the two and a quarter length win over Rusty Pulse and Fort Apache.
The Grassroots champion at two, Tommys Luck got his 2003 OSS season off to a rocky start, making a break behind the gate and not recovering until the rest of the field was over 14 lengths in front. Once the Camluck colt had regrouped, driver Chris Christoforou sent him after the leaders and gained ground steadily through the mile.
As the colts turned for home, Tommys Luck was just over a length behind pacesetter Rusty Pulse and a smart last quarter propelled the colt to a two and one quarter length victory.
The top three finishers from each elimination are eligible to return to Flamboro Downs on Friday, July 11 for the second $130,000 Gold Final on their busy summer stakes schedule.