CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — As fans expected, Ja El Express delivered a victory in his $40,000 Gold Elimination at Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday evening, however that was the last two-year-old trotting colt contest that evolved in predictable fashion.

Stepping onto the racetrack as the prohibitive favourite, Ja El Express and Cambridge resident Jody Jamieson stepped off the starting gate into second as Crown And Coke rolled out to a :29.1 opening quarter. The colts continued through the :59.4 half in the same order, but heading for the 1:29 three-quarters Great Emancipator powered up the outside to take command of the lead.

Turning for home Ja El Express was four and one-quarter lengths off the pace in fifth, but when Jamieson pointed the colt at the finish line he accelerated down the stretch to a one and a half length victory in a personal best 1:59.1. Pointe To Pointe took second, while Great Emancipator had to settle for third.

The win was the second straight for Ja El Express, who competes for trainer Jeff Gillis of Guelph and his partner Ken Henwood of Mississauga. The Kadabra son’s first winner’s circle appearance came after his division of the Bud Light Stakes at Flamboro Downs on July 4. Ja El Express scored his Bud Light win from the outside Post 7, and the colt will get a second opportunity to test his early speed in next Thursday’s Gold Final when he and Jamieson will start from Post 8.

Things did not unfold quite as predictably in the second Gold Elimination, which saw fan favourite Protege Seelster make a break at the three-quarter pole that knocked him out of contention. Protege Seelster and Jamieson were making a move on Quantum Starship when things went awry, but the pacesetter paid them little heed, cruising home to a 1:57.4 victory.

Starting from Post 8, Quantum Starship and driver Trevor Ritchie carved fractions of :28.3, :58 and 1:28.2 on their way to the four length score. Sombrero Hall overcame the outside Post 10 to finish second, while Magic Fruit endured a tough first-over trip from Post 9 to earn the third-place spoils.

Acton resident Ritchie engineered the victory for trainer Harald Lunde of Campbellville and owners Quantum Farms Corp. of St. Paul, MN. Thursday’s triumph was Quantum Starship’s first victory, the Striking Sahbra son finished third in his Bud Light elimination after making an early break.

The last elimination saw regally bred Reach Higher earn his first victory, overpowering leader Quantum Antonio at the three-quarters and maintaining a sharp pace through the stretch claim a one and one-quarter length victory in 1:59.1. War King Ton found room in the stretch to get up for second, while Tymal Tyme and Wayne Henry turned their pocket trip into a third-place cheque. Fan favourite Duke Maccallum had to settle for fourth, but was fortunate to be selected from among the fourth-place finishers for the last berth in next week’s $130,000 Gold Final.

Purchased for $140,000 from last fall’s Forest City Yearling sale, Reach Higher is a half-brother to sophomore filly standout Raising Rachel. KR Stable of Milton, LLK Stable of Mississauga, Doug Millard of Woodstock and the Estate of George F. Hempt Trust of Camp Hill, PA share ownership on Reach Higher, who is a fifth generation product of the breeding operation run by Harry Rutherford and Diane Ingham in Mount Pleasant.

Milton resident John Kopas trains both Reach Higher and Raising Rachel, and Milton resident Steve Condren has guided the Striking Sahbra colt through all of his on track appearances. Reach Higher qualified June 13 at Mohawk in a steady 2:04.4, then came back with a little more step for a 2:02.2 qualifying victory on June 29. He finished second to Ja El Express in Bud Light action, but may find a rematch a challenge from the outside Post 10 in next week’s Gold Final.

The top three colts from each elimination, plus the fortunate Duke Maccallum, will return to Mohawk Racetrack for their first-ever $130,000 Gold Final next Thursday, July 23. The field of talented young trotters will line up as follows behind the Mohawk starting gate:

Two-year-old colt trot Gold Final — Thursday, July 23

Post 1 Tymal Tyme

Post 2 Magic Fruit

Post 3 Sombrero Hall

Post 4 Great Emancipator

Post 5 War King Ton

Post 6 Pointe To Pointe

Post 7 Quantum Starship

Post 8 Ja El Express

Post 9 Duke Maccallum

Post 10 Reach Higher

For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0716mohsn.dat.