CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — In spite of her outside post position, two-year-old pacing filly Luck Of Michelle cruised to her sixth straight Gold Series victory at Mohawk Racetrack on Friday evening.
“She’s a good filly and when you sit behind her she’s a true professional every time,” said driver Mike Saftic. “She went a big effort in the She’s A Great Lady Final (Sept. 2) considering the conditions and the fact she got used hard from Post 10. It was a little different tonight from Post 10. I buzzed her off the gate and got respect on the front-end.”
Saftic and Luck Of Michelle took command of the race just past the :27 opening quarter and cruised unmolested through a :55.4 half and 1:25 three-quarters on their way to the 1:53.1 victory. Tymal Trinity paced into second, one and one-quarter lengths behind the winner, and Third Fling overcame the trailing Post 11 to finish four and one-quarter lengths back in third.
Friday’s mile was a personal best for Luck Of Michelle, who boasts a record of eight wins and two seconds in 10 starts this season and owns a world and track record over Flamboro Downs and a track record at Grand River Raceway.
John Pentland trains the winner of $537,475 for his wife Natalie Pentland of Dorchester and Karen Carroll of Shedden. The partners acquired the daughter of Camluck and Michelles Destiny for a mere $20,000 US at last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
With just one elimination, the top 10 finishers advanced to next Friday’s $130,000 Gold Final, leaving only I Don’t Mean Maybe sitting on the sidelines. Luck Of Michelle will attempt to maintain her flawless Grassroots record from Post 5 in the Sept. 22 event.
In addition to the gifted two-year-old pacing fillies, Mohawk fans were also treated to a trio of exceptional races by the province’s top three-year-old pacing fillies.
In Trepid Water delivered a victory in the first $38,596 elimination, bouncing back to the form that earned her an eight race win streak through the early months of the season. The Intrepid Seelster lass and driver Rick Zeron sprinted away from Post 7 and rolled out fractions of :27, :55.3 and 1:23.4 before battling down the stretch to a neck victory over fan favourite Moving Pictures in a personal best 1:51.3. Even Now rounded out the top three, just three-quarters of a length behind the leaders.
“Tonight she was as good as she’s ever been,” said Zeron from the winner’s enclosure. “She was phenomenal tonight. She dug down hard when Mark (MacDonald and Moving Pictures) came at me. She was hard pressed and showed how tough she is.”
Zeron pilots In Trepid Water for trainer, owner and breeder Bob McIntosh of LaSalle and his partners C S X Stables of Liberty Center, OH. The filly improved her lifetime record to 11 wins and one third in 15 starts and seems to have recovered from the equine virus that sidelined her through most of July and August. Unfortunately In Trepid Water’s bid for a second straight victory will be hampered by Post 10 in the Sept. 23 Gold Final.
Beechwood Duchess delivered the mile of her life to claim the second elimination and upset heavy favourite Red Star Biggirl. The Albert Albert daughter sprinted from fifth to first down the stretch to claim the one length victory in a personal best 1:52.1. Red Star Biggirl settled for second and Stonebridge Luau earned third-place honours. Fourth-place finisher Prairie Tracker also earned a berth in next Saturday’s Gold Final.
“I left hard with her tonight and got away behind the two best horses,” said driver Jack Moiseyev. “When I shook loose in the lane, she was making ground on the leaders and I hadn’t even asked her yet.”
Waterdown resident Jared Bothwell trains Beechwood Duchess for his partners R A W Equine Inc. of Mississauga and Annemarie Colville of Waterdown. The win was Beechwood Duchess’s first in Gold Series action and her sixth in 17 starts this season.
Race 7 saw Draconian Promise claim her second straight elimination victory for trainer Jason McGinnis and owners Cully Keetch and Lawrence Simon of Hamilton.
Fresh off a track record triumph at Flamboro Downs on Aug. 27, driver Kevin Wallis rolled the Rustler Hanover daughter straight to the front and cruised around the Campbellville oval in 1:52.2. Once again the favourite settled for second as St Lads Hailaroo hit the wire one-quarter of a length back. Style complete the triactor in the seventh race, three-quarters of a length behind Draconian Promise.
“She’s a real good filly,” said Wallis. “I think she’s one of the top in the division. She’s got good gate speed and I think the front-end is where she needs to be.”
Draconian Promise will start from Post 4 in the Saturday, Sept. 23 Gold Final, with the remainder of the field lining up behind the Mohawk Racetrack starting gate as follows:
THREE-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLY GOLD FINAL — SATURDAY, SEPT. 23
Post 1 Even Now
Post 2 Prairie Tracker
Post 3 Moving Pictures
Post 4 Draconian Promise
Post 5 Beechwood Duchess
Post 6 Stonebridge Luau
Post 7 Red Star Biggirl
Post 8 Style
Post 9 St Lads Hailaroo
Post 10 In Trepid Water
AE1 Bold Bidder
AE2 Zeglarska Street
AE3 Luxury Seelster
The two-year-old pacing fillies will range across the seven-eighths mile oval in the following order on Friday, Sept. 22:
TWO-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLY GOLD FINAL — FRIDAY, SEPT. 22
Post 1 Canadette
Post 2 Quail Seelster
Post 3 Miss Intuition
Post 4 Southwind Miata
Post 5 Luck of Michelle
Post 6 Treat Me Good
Post 7 Rosapenna
Post 8 Tymal Trinity
Post 9 Keystone Eager
Post 10 Third Fling
AE1 I Dont Mean Maybe
For complete results please go to:
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rmohsfr.html