FRASERVILLE, ON — Kawartha Downs will be the site of some extraordinary Ontario Sires Stakes action this season — culminating with the Grassroots Championships in October — and the Fraserville ovals kicks things off next Tuesday, June 26 with three Gold Eliminations for the three-year-old trotting colts.

With the absence of reigning Gold Final champion Flirtin Image, the field is wide open, and the number two finisher from the season opener is one colt who would love to step into top spot.

“He seems to be pretty sharp right now. I look for him to race pretty good there on Tuesday,” says trainer Per Henriksen of Guilford. “He’s won on the track already this year; he likes that track.”

Guilford captured his May 20 Gold Elimination at Mohawk Racetrack then came back the following week to finish second behind Flirtin Image. Through nine starts this season the Angus Hall son boasts an impressive record of four wins, two seconds and one third for earnings of $64,435, making him the leading money earner heading into Tuesday’s contest. He has already visited the Kawartha Downs winner’s circle twice, emerging victorious from overnight events on March 15 and May 3.

In his most recent start, on June 10 at Mohawk, Guilford made a break at the three-quarter mile marker, but Henriksen says the miscue was not a cause for concern.

“He got a pair of Swedish blinds, and (driver) Trevor Ritchie said he wasn’t ready for him to wake up as much as he did when he pulled them,” explains the Norwood resident, whose ASA Farm shares ownership on Guilford with Thomas Nurmi of Washington, DC.

Henriksen will pilot the colt himself on Tuesday, squaring off against a field of seven from the advantageous Post 1. Among the horses the pair will face in the eighth race on Kawartha’s 4:15 pm program are Grassroots winner Keystone Bounty from Post 5 and Goodtimes Elimination winner Chelemark Porter from Post 7.

“I think he can go with any of them,” notes Henriksen. “And he can race on the front, he can race from behind, he is pretty versatile.”

Guilford and Henriksen will be looking for a top three finish on Tuesday to ensure a return invitation to the Kawartha oval for the July 3 Gold Final.

Competition for the nine spots in the $130,000 Final will be fierce in all three eliminations, as no clear standout has emerged from the early season skirmishes. Among the colts expected to deliver exciting performances on Tuesday are Tymal Cherub and Cayenne Turbo from Posts 2 and 4 in Race 3 and Hallo and Beer Budget from Posts 4 and 8 in the fifth race.

Peterborough resident John Bax will harness a starter in all three eliminations, sending Frosty The Genius after his second straight win from Post 8 in the first elimination, Relentless Duke after his second win of the season from Post 2 in the second elimination and Good Knight after a second straight victory from Post 3 in the third split.

Kawartha Downs calls its first race to the post at 4:15 pm on Tuesday and rolls out the red carpet for the talented three-year-old trotting colts in Races 3, 5, and 8.

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