WINDSOR, ON — Windsor Raceway suffered an assault on its record books for a second straight week Saturday, but this time it was three-year-old pacing colt Geartogear who earned himself a place in the track’s history books with a tremendous 1:50.1 Gold Final victory.
With Windsor resident Kevin Wallis in the race bike, Geartogear floated off the starting gate from Post 4 while elimination winner Pokagon sprinted to a :25.4 opening quarter. As the colts traded places on the front end, pacing to fractions of :53.4 and 1:21.4, Wallis sat patiently with Geartogear and waited for Freedom Hanover and Brad Forward to start up the outside from third.
At the top of the stretch Freedom Hanover and Geartogear had reeled in the leaders, but when Wallis turned the heavy favourite loose he paced away from the field to a five length victory in a track and Ontario Sires Stakes record 1:50.1. Brett Robinson trainees Freedom Hanover and Galantine Hanover earned second and third-place honours in the $130,000 contest.
The mile took a full second off Windsor’s former three-year-old pacing colt record and one-fifth of a second off the all-age track record. The Ontario Sires Stakes record, previously set by Dreamfair Vogel in 2002, fell by just over one second.
Undefeated through four Ontario Sires Stakes starts, Geartogear moved into second spot in the point standings with the win and will be favoured in next Saturday’s $300,000 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack. Perfect World Enterprises of Old Westbury, NY own the Grinfromeartoear son, who has banked $418,759 this season.
Nat Varty trains Geartogear and the Warsaw resident made a second appearance in the Windsor winner’s circle on Saturday when Lady Dillinger posted a repeat of her track record equalling elimination performance to capture the two-year-old pacing filly Gold Final.
Leaving from Post 3, the D M Dilinger daughter and Mario Baillargeon allowed Ingrid Bergrin to lead the field to the :28 quarter before taking control and sprinting through fractions of :56.2 and 1:24.4 on their way to a six length victory in 1:53.3. For the second straight week division leader Lucks Mistress had to settle for second, while Lucky Angel rounded out the top three.
Gaetan Hebert of Freelton bred and owns Lady Dillinger, who boasts a record of five wins, two seconds and two thirds in 12 starts this season for earnings of $226,959. Saturday’s victory was her third in a row and establishes her as a leading candidate for a Super Final crown on Nov. 13.
Windsor Raceway wraps up its 2004 Ontario Sires Stakes schedule with a Gold Final for the three-year-old trotting fillies tomorrow (Sunday) evening.