CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — After spending the last two months battling North America’s top fillies, Lucks Mistress picked up where she had left off in Gold Series action at Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday evening.
In her first provincial start since capturing the July 27 Gold Final at Kawartha Downs, the two-year-old pacing filly cruised to an effortless 1:53.4 victory in her Gold Elimination Thursday.
Leaving from Post 3 the Camluck daughter and driver Jody Jamieson floated off the starting gate and took command of the race heading to the halfway marker. The pair increased their lead with every stride, sailing under the wire two and a half lengths ahead of Lady Dillinger and five and three-quarter lengths up on Whitesand Trick.
Carl Jamieson trains Lucks Mistress for his partners in the Lucks Mistress Stable of Princeton, conditioning the talented filly to a record of five wins and two seconds in nine starts this season for earnings of $272,323.
In addition to a pair of Gold Elimination wins and two Gold Final trophies, the $110,000 yearling boasts a win in the Robert Stewart Stakes, a runner-up placing in the Champlain and a fourth-place finish in the Shes A Great Lady Elimination. Her only disappointing effort came in the Shes A Great Lady Final at Woodbine Racetrack on Sept. 4 where she made a break and finished sixth.
The other Gold Series Elimination went to Claires Apache, who powered around the Mohawk oval on the front end, laying down fractions of :27.3, :56.2 and 1:25 on her way to the 1:54.1 victory. Pacific Supreme closed well to wrestle second away from pocket sitter and reigning Gold Final champion Shes Almost Famous, both fillies finishing three-quarters of a length behind Claires Apache.
Guelph resident Gregg McNair bred, owns and trains Claires Apache with partner Ian Fleming of Londesborough. Regular reinsman Mike Saftic was in the race bike for Thursday’s victory, the filly’s second in five attempts. The Apaches Fame daughter captured an elimination of the season opening Gold Series at Woodbine Racetrack in July and finished second in the Final.
The top three fillies from each elimination will be joined by fourth and fifth-place finishers, Northern Diligence and E Business and Ingrid Bergrin and Helena Handbag, in the $130,000 Gold Final next Thursday evening at Mohawk Racetrack. The two-year-old pacing fillies wrap up their regular season on Oct. 29 at Windsor Raceway before the top 10 point earners head back to Woodbine for the $300,000 Super Final on Nov. 13.