DUNDAS, ON — As in the fable of the tortoise and the hare, sometimes steady is what you need to win the race, and steady is what two-year-old trotting filly Extraordinaire delivered at Flamboro Downs on Friday evening in $130,000 Gold Final action.
Starting from Post 2 with trainer-driver Wayne Henry in the race bike, Extraordinaire sprinted out from behind the gate and took early command of the Gold Final battle, reaching the opening quarter in :30.1. Not content to sit behind Extraordinaire, Oakville, ON resident Rick Zeron had Peach Martini rolling up the outside heading for the quarter and the fan favourites had assumed the lead before the 1:01.1 half.
Heading around the third turn, Paul MacLean sent Lady Love up the outside and the filly had a head in front of Peach Martini at the 1:31.4 three-quarters but could not reach the rail. With fillies going off stride at an alarming rate, including elimination winner Luvumeanit around the second turn, there were only three fillies battling through the final quarter and Henry opted not to leave anything to chance this week.
In last week’s elimination Extraordinaire had to dodge breaking pacesetter Dancin Darlin at he head of the lane and wound up fourth after sitting second for most of the mile. This time, Henry opted to circle out three-wide well before he reached the top of the stretch and Extraordinaire responded with a strong finishing kick that propelled her past the dueling leaders to a two length victory in 2:02.1.
Peach Martini, owned by Zeron, Michael Katz of Thornhill, ON, Stephen Waldman of Toronto, ON and Rojan Stables of Wilmington, DE, stayed game for second, with Lady Love hot on her heels in third. Fourth-place finisher Julie Labelle and fifth-place finisher My Whispering Eye, owned by Terry Hunter of Troy, ON and Anthony MacDonald of Guelph, ON, were more than 30 lengths to the rear.
Owned by the Henry Stable of Arthur, ON and James Laverty of Sauble Beach, ON, Extraordinaire was completely overlooked by Flamboro Downs fans, who sent her off as the last choice in the eight filly Gold Final field. As a result, the daughter of Duke Of York and She Has It paid $92.80 to win, $18.20 to place and $20.30 to show.
A $16,000 purchase from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale, Extraordinaire prepared for the Ontario Sires Stakes season with a June 19 qualifier at Mohawk Racetrack where she circled the seven-eighths mile oval in 2:04. In last week’s elimination she delivered a 2:03.2 clocking in her fourth-place effort, and then carved another second off her personal best with Friday’s Gold Final victory. In two starts the young trotter has earned $68,200.
Ontario’s two-year-old trotting fillies will make their second Gold Series start on Aug. 2 at Mohawk Racetrack. Provincial excitement continues at Flamboro Downs on Sunday, Aug. 8 as it hosts Gold Eliminations for both the two-year-old pacing colts and three-year-old trotting colts, with the Gold Finals going postward on Sunday, Aug. 15 as part of the Dundas oval’s popular Confederation Cup program.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0723flmdn.dat.