CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Mohawk Racetrack wraps up an outstanding week of Ontario Sires Stakes racing on Saturday night with two Gold Series Eliminations for the three-year-old trotting colts.
Since the Aug. 18 Gold Final at Flamboro Downs many of the sophomore colts have been duelling with their American-bred cousins in stakes action at Mohawk Racetrack. Cyclone Artie and Semper Fi Hall captured $123,668 divisions of the Simcoe Stake on Sept. 7 with Visualize and Duke Of York trotting into the runner-up spots. In Canadian Trotting Classic eliminations stablemates Cyclone Artie and Rotation finished second and third in their divisions, but fell victim to a track record pace in the Final and made early breaks in stride.
Harald Lunde owns and trains Cyclone Artie and Rotation and the Campbellville resident is looking for good things from the duo in Saturday night’s Gold Eliminations.
“I have a good feeling about both of those horses,” says Lunde. “They both made breaks last time, but it was an accident I think. They went pretty fast from the beginning in that race, and they made a break after 100 to 200 metres. “
Both colts have been regulars on the provincial scene all season and hover just below the current cut off for the top 10. Solid efforts in Saturday’s Elimination round and the Oct. 5 Gold Final would earn the Balanced Image sons a spot on the starting gate for the $300,000 Super Final at Mohawk on Nov. 16. Rotation will attempt to add to his 23 points from Post 2 in the first race, while Cyclone Artie will start from Post 5 in Race 3.
Joining Rotation in the first race will be his stablemate Grace Of Glory, who earned his way into the Gold Series with a 1:58.1 win in his last start (Aug. 20). Grace Of Glory starts from Post 7 and Lunde hopes the Balanced Image son can pick up a cheque in the field of seven.
“I hope he can make some money in there,” says Lunde. “He’s had two wins at Woodbine so he’s not a bad horse, but he’s not as good as Cyclone Artie and Rotation.”
Driver Trevor Ritchie will have his pick of the Lunde trainees if he can coordinate a rapid method of transport from Lexington, KY early Saturday evening. The trotting specialist is slated to drive Andover Hall in the prestigious Kentucky Futurity at Lexington’s famed Red Mile on Saturday afternoon, but Lunde is hopeful Ritchie and some of the other top drivers could charter a plane to return them to Mohawk in time for the first Gold Elimination at 7:40 pm.
“We’ll see what happens, but I hope for Trevor because he can handle my horses really good. We have had much luck together,” says Lunde, who entrusted Ritchie with driving duties aboard $1.03 million winner Banker Hall in 2000-2001.
Reigning Gold Final champ Abbey Road C will try and score his fourth straight win from Post 1 in the second elimination. The Incredible Abe son has been invincible since trainer Keith Jones added trotting hopples to his equipment in July. George Charlton of Utopia owns the talented trotter, who heads into Saturday’s battle off a 1:56.1 victory at Georgian Downs on Sept. 20.
Racing gets under way at 7:40 pm at Mohawk Racetrack on Saturday evening and the three-year-old trotting colts will get things rolling in Races 1 and 3. The top five finishers from each elimination will be back in Campbellville on Oct. 5 for the last $130,000 Gold Final of their regular season.