CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Invitro stepped to the top of the two-year-old pacing filly class on Saturday evening with a 1:54.2 score in a $122,242 Gold Series Elimination at Mohawk Racetrack.
Doug Brown trains and drives Invitro and gave the Camluck filly a classic come-from-behind steer to score her fourth victory in seven starts. Leaving from Post 3 the veteran horseman eased Invitro off the gate and sat seventh through the early fractions of :27.2 and :55.1. Heading for the 1:24.4 three-quarters Brown sent Invitro after the leaders and the filly cleared easily to the front, pulling away to a one and three-quarter victory.
Special Magic received an uncomplicated steer tucked in behind the pacesetters to land in second-place, while heavy favourite Serious Comfort survived a tough trip up the outside to hang onto the third-place finisher’s share over a hard closing Double Creme.
Mohawk fans sent Invitro off as their second choice in the fifth race and the filly repaid their confidence with an $11.50 win dividend, a $4.70 place pay out and a $3.40 return on a show wager. Third choice Special Magic returned $5.60 to place and $3.60 to show, while Serious Comfort paid $2.30 to show. The Invitro – Special Magic exactor was worth $58.10, the 3 – 2 – 5 triactor returned $146.10 and fans playing a 3 – 2 – 5 – 11 superfecta pocketed $733.70.
Brown trains Invitro for owner-breeders Gordon Irwin of Cobourg and Murray Ross of Norwood. Saturday’s victory was the filly’s third in a row and almost doubled her season earnings to $127,598.
After capturing a July 19 Grassroots event at Kawartha Downs she made her Gold Series debut at Windsor Raceway on July 30, finishing second in her Gold Elimination. One week later she was third in the Gold Final behind Los Angeles. She posted her only off the board finish in an overnight event at Mohawk Racetrack on Sept. 4, then captured a non-winners of two races class in 1:53 on Sept. 11. After suffering a minor injury that knocked her out of the Flamboro Downs Gold Elimination on Sept. 19, Invitro enjoyed a few weeks of rest and relaxation before prepping for Saturday’s skirmish with a 1:57.1 win in a Flamboro Breeders event on Oct. 10.
The Gold Elimination victory bumped the filly into the top 10 in the Super Final race with a total of 87 points.
With Elegantreflection scratched from Saturday’s Elimination, all 10 starters will return to Mohawk Racetrack next Saturday, Nov. 1 for their last $130,000 Gold Final. The Nov. 1 program also features the $130,000 Gold Final for the two-year-old trotting fillies, who competed in a pair of Gold Eliminations on Friday (Oct. 24).