DUNDAS, ON — Lady Dillinger retained the three-year-old pacing filly crown with an impressive effort at Flamboro Downs on Sunday evening that equalled the track and Ontario Sires Stakes record set by her rival Lucks Mistress in the elimination round.

Powering away from Post 1 driver Scott Coulter and Lady Dillinger rebutted an early attack by Lucks Mistress that resulted in an lightning fast :26.3 opening quarter and had a firm grip on the race before the :55.2 half. The pair sat comfortably at the head of the field through the 1:24.1 three-quarters and then pulled away to a two and a half length victory in the record equalling 1:53.1 mile.

Armbro Cashmere circled around a tired Lucks Mistress to pick up the second-place share of the $130,000 Gold Final purse and Serenity Seelster clocked the fastest last quarter of the nine contestants to claim third.

The win was the fifth straight for Lady Dillinger, who is owned and trained by breeder Gaetan Hebert of Waterdown. Since hitting her stride in early July, the D M Dilinger has been invincible, capturing a pair of Gold Finals, one Gold Elimination and her elimination and the Final of the Canadian Breeders Championship. The filly’s next stop will be against North America’s finest in the Aug. 20 Fan Hanover Eliminations at Mohawk Racetrack.

Also impressing fans at Flamboro Downs on Sunday evening were the three-year-old trotting colts, who competed in a pair of $53,461 Gold Eliminations.

Fan favourite Stonebridge Diablo claimed the first elimination, trotting around the Flamboro half-mile in a smart 1:57.4 to earn his second victory of the season. The Angus Hall son and driver Randy Waples circled three-wide around pacesetter Reserved Image at the three-quarter marker and sprinted home to a three and a half length victory. Reserved Image stayed game for second, while Adam T was two more lengths back in third.

Trainer Ron Waples, Jr. of Fergus shares ownership on Stonebridge Diablo with driver Randy Waples of Milton, Dr. Sheila Atmore of Fergus and Alan Kirschenbaum of Burbank, CA. A consistent player on the Gold Series circuit all season, with only one finish out of the top three in 10 starts, the gelding has been building momentum in recent weeks with an elimination win in the Canadian Breeders Championship and a runner-up finish in the July 30 Final.

The other elimination went to Angus Hall son Abs Speedy Hall in an identical 1:57.4. The Michael Porter trainee surprised Flamboro fans and his rivals by powering to the front from Post 6 and never looking back, trotting off to a seven and three-quarter length win over King La Conch and Renegade Dream. Favourite, and reigning Gold Final champion, Orion King made an early break and settled for sixth.

Porter trains Abs Speedy Hall for Julie Marie Jamieson of Carlisle and Eldon Jamieson of Sherwood, PEI. The win was the gelding’s third of the season. A Grassroots winner in the June 14 event at Georgian Downs, Abs Speedy Hall made break in both the elimination and the Final of his first Gold Series attempt at Rideau Carleton Raceway in July, but seems to be back on track following a qualifier and a sharp 1:56.3 performance in an overnight at Mohawk Racetrack on Aug. 4.

The top four finishers from Sunday’s elimination round will return to Flamboro Downs on Sunday. Aug. 21 for their $130,000 Gold Final, part of the Dundas oval’s popular Confederation Cup program. Post positions for the Gold Final are as follows:

Post 1 Good To Be King

Post 2 Stonebridge Diablo

Post 3 Adam T

Post 4 Reserved Image

Post 5 Renegade Dream

Post 6 King La Conch

Post 7 Team Dean

Post 8 Abs Speedy Hall

AE1 Feeling Frazzled

AE2 Stormont Welldone

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rflmdsu.html