LONDON, ON — Sophomore trotting filly Lukes Sophie claimed the first of two Gold Final trophies on offer during Western Fair Raceway’s lucrative Molson Pace night on Friday, cruising home a two length winner in 1:57.4.
Reinsman Jody Jamieson used the same strategy that landed him in the winner’s circle after last week’s Gold Elimination, easing away from Post 1 into third and then rolling up the outside. Quickest away from the starting gate for the second straight week, L A Freeway once again laid down all of the fractions — posting a :28.1 quarter, :58.2 half and 1:27.3 three-quarters — before yielding to Lukes Sophie.
One length behind the leader turning for home, Lukes Sophie sailed past L A Freeway and trotted effortlessly under the wire to her third victory in three sophomore outings. Peach Martini delivered the sharpest last quarter in the field of eight to earn runner-up honours in the $130,000 final, while Oh Sweet Baby trailed Lukes Sophie up the outside into third.
Princeton, ON resident Carl Jamieson conditions Lukes Sophie for his partner Thomas Kyron of Toronto, ON. The pair acquired the daughter of Here Comes Herbie and Lady Prospect for $16,000 at the 2009 Canadian Open Yearling Sale. At two the filly made just four starts, finishing second on one occasion and third on another to eventual O’Brien Award winner Crys Dream, and banking $29,802. Through three starts this season Lukes Sophie has already posted three victories and earned $94,000.
In the second $130,000 Gold Final of the evening, three-year-old pacing filly Village Janus picked up her third win of the season with an impressive sprint down the stretch to reel in pacesetter Monkey On My Wheel.
Starting from Post 1, Monkey On My Wheel got away sharply for driver Rick Zeron and led the fillies to a :27.4 opening quarter. Driver Yannick Gingras was able to tuck Village Janus into the pocket, where he watched Monkey On My Wheel carry on to a :57 half and a 1:26.1 three-quarters. Almost two lengths behind as they rolled off the final turn, Gingras shifted Village Janus into high gear and the filly sprinted down the Western Fair stretch to grab a three-quarter length victory in a personal best 1:55.
Fan favourite Monkey On My Wheel had to settle for the bridesmaid’s spot for a second straight week, while Look Cheap overcame a minor miscue at the three-quarter marker to earn the third-place finisher’s share.
Gingras engineered Village Janus’ victory for trainer Rod Therres of Cambridge, ON and his partner Larry Schmidt of Abbotsford, BC. The New Jersey-based reinsman picked up the catch drive on Village Janus in last week’s elimination, and may be on Therres’ speed dial for the remainder of the filly’s season.
Therres and Schmidt also acquired Village Janus at the 2009 Canadian Open Yearling Sale, where their cheque was made out for $21,000. Last season the daughter of Modern Art and Village Jest scored her biggest win in the $150,000 Battle of the Belles Final over Grand River Raceway’s half-mile oval. Through 13 starts the filly posted four wins, one second and one third for earnings of $132,700. She has opened her sophomore season in impressive fashion, claiming victories in a May 13 overnight event at Flamboro Downs, last week’s elimination, and Friday’s Gold Final for earnings of $88,500.
Gingras was back in the winner’s circle one race later, as he and heavy favourite Foiled Again captured the $300,000 Molson Pace Final by three lengths in 1:51.3. The talented reinsman completed the natural hat trick with a win aboard pacing mare Exquisite Alberta for local owner Shawn Dixon of London in Race 11, giving him a total of four wins on the card. He also scored a victory early in the evening with City of London Trotting Series champion Althea M.
Ontario’s talented three-year-old fillies will make their second Gold Series appearance at Georgian Downs on July 2, with the July 9 Gold Finals part of that track’s exciting Gold Rush event.
For complete results please click on: Western Fair Raceway Results — May 27, 2011