OTTAWA, ON — If Thursday evening’s Gold Elimination was any indication, Rideau Carleton Raceway fans are poised to witness an outstanding performance from the three-year-old pacing fillies in next week’s Gold Final.

With Cooking The Books scratched out of the single $40,000 elimination the remaining nine contestants were all guaranteed a berth in the Gold Final, but not one member of the field was looking to rest on her laurels.

As the starting gate swung away from the field it was Memumsnotnice who was out hardest from Post 6, reaching the opening quarter in :27. Katys Jet sat briefly in the pocket, but driver Scott Zeron soon had the filly powering up the outside and the pair was in command by the :56 half.

Hope For Paddy then took up the baton on the outside, but could get no closer than one length to Katys Jet, who rolled along to a 1:24 three-quarters. As Hope For Paddy failed to advance, reigning Gold Final champion Apogee Hanover was sent out three-wide by driver Doug McNair and the fillies turned for home ranged out into the middle of the racetrack.

As they straightened out in the lane, McNair shifted Apogee Hanover into high gear on the outside, Denis St. Pierre tipped Memumsnotnice out of the pocket and John MacDonald found a slice of racing room up the inside for Jet Wash, who had been locked in third on the rail for more than half the race. All four fillies battled fiercely and crossed under the wire so close together a single blanket would have warmed the bunch.

Careful study of the finish line photograph by racing officials revealed that it was Jet Wash’s nose at the front of the pack, followed by Katys Jet, Apogee Hanover and Memumsnotnice. Former Gold Final winner Mach A Wish earned the fifth-place prize, one and three-quarter lengths behind the battling leaders.

Jet Wash halted the Rideau Carleton Raceway teletimer at 1:52.3 to record her fifth lifetime victory for trainer Jeff Gillis of Hillsburgh and his partners Jonathan Binks of St. Thomas, Mac Nichol of Burlington and Ellen Ott of Buffalo, NY. Through 17 outings the Jeremes Jet daughter has also tallied one second and two thirds for earnings of $183,909.

The win was Jet Wash’s second in Gold Series action; she also scored a Gold Elimination win in the season opener at Georgian Downs on June 30. A fourth in the elimination and final of the August event at Mohawk Racetrack and a third in the Sept. 20 Gold Final at Mohawk have given the filly a total of 142 Gold Series points and sole ownership of third spot in the division standings, assuring her of a berth in the season ending Super Final.

Jet Wash will be looking to add a Gold Final title to her resume in next Thursday’s $130,000 Gold Final and will make her bid from Post 2. The complete line up for the Oct. 11 final is as follows:

$130,000 Gold Final — Thursday, Oct. 11 at Rideau Carleton Raceway

Post 1 Katys Jet

Post 2 Jet Wash

Post 3 Apogee Hanover

Post 4 Machet Rocket

Post 5 Class Of O Nine

Post 6 Hope For Paddy

Post 7 Mia Seelster

Post 8 Mach A Wish

Post 9 Memumsnotnice

For complete results please go to Rideau Carleton Raceway Results — October 4, 2012