CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Last season Matriarch tantalised Acton resident Ted Nadhazi with flashes of brilliance, and on Friday night at Mohawk Racetrack the three-year-old filly finally delivered the goods, trotting to an impressive victory in the first of three $39,963 Gold Eliminations.

Win R Takes All and Aaron Byron kicked off the evening with a cracking :27.4 opening quarter, slowed things down on their way to a :58.1 half and then withdrew from the contest with an untimely break in stride. Meanwhile Matriarch and driver Rick Zeron were watching the early race theatrics from the rear of the 10 filly field, getting away seventh before being shuffled back to ninth.

Yorkys Girl and Scott Coulter took over the lead from Win R Takes All, and proceeded around the Mohawk oval to a 1:28.1 three-quarters while enduring heavy pressure from J M Aggie. Behind J M Aggie, things were starting to look like the 401 during rush hour, so Zeron sent Matriarch out three-wide around the stalled traffic.

At the head of the stretch J M Aggie was struggling to maintain a quarter-length lead, but Matriarch had swung around the last turn like a rocket and was closing fast. Psyche Unseen was right there in third and All Time Favourite was saving ground on the inside. Well ahead of their peers at the midpoint in the stretch, Zeron put Matriarch on cruise control and the pair sailed under the wire effortlessly in 1:58, three and three-quarter lengths ahead of J M Aggie and Psyche Unseen.

The win was Matriarch’s second lifetime, and came in her sophomore debut. Nadhazi, who bred, owns and trains the Duke Of York daughter, prepped Matriarch for her first of the season with a 2:00 win in qualifying action at Mohawk on June 29. Matriarch will have a second opportunity to impress her owner from Post 2 in next Friday’s $130,000 Gold Final.

Joining Matriarch, J M Aggie and Psyche Unseen in next week’s Final will be the top three finishers from the second Gold Elimination, who stopped the clock in an identical 1:58. Fan favourites Trevor Ritchie and Maple Sugar had a much easier time finding the front end, wresting control from Summer Drinks just past the :58.1 half and touring home in untroubled fashion to a one and a half length victory over Vanilla Rainbow and Shipps Foxylady.

Trainer Susanne Kerwood of Rockwood, Canamerica Capital Corp. of Milton and Enviro Stables Ltd. of South Hampton, NY, share ownership on Maple Sugar, who was a runner-up to Caught My Eye in the elimination and final of the Gold Series season opener at Georgian Downs June 23 and 30.

The win was the Malabar Maple daughter’s second of the season and boosted her sophomore earnings over the $100,000 mark. Maple Sugar and Ritchie will be looking for win number three from Post 5 in next Friday’s Gold Final.

The third elimination brought a halt to Caught My Eye’s burgeoning win streak, seeing the reigning Gold Final champion reeled in through the stretch by last year’s Ontario Sires Stakes champion Carolyn AS.

Leaving from Post 2, driver Bill O’Donnell sent Caught My Eye to the front just past the :28.2 opening quarter, and the filly loafed through fractions of :58.3 and 1:28.4. Handicapped by the outside Post 10, Jack Moiseyev floated Carolyn AS off the starting gate and then sent the filly up the outside. Fifth at the halfway marker, the veteran reinsman had to send Carolyn AS three-wide at the three-quarters when Delcrestclassyhall made a break in front of them, and the filly kicked home with an impressive :27.4 final quarter to grab her first win of the season.

Movin Over took full advantage of a trip tucked in behind Caught My Eye to circle around for second-place honours, leaving Caught My Eye to settle for third. Constance Hall finished fourth, and won the draw amongst the fourth-place finishers to claim the last spot in the $130,000 Final.

ACL Stuteri Inc. of Paris, KY and Bill Justice of Lexington, KY share ownership on Carolyn AS, who qualified twice at The Meadowlands in May and once at Mohawk in June before making her sophomore debut at Georgian Downs on June 23 where she made a disappointing break in the stretch. Anette Lorentzon trains the Striking Sahbra daughter, who now boasts lifetime earnings of $269,744.

Carolyn AS will make her bid for a Gold Final trophy from Post 7 on Friday. The complete field for the July 13 Gold Final is as follows:

Post 1 Constance Hall

Post 2 Matriarch

Post 3 Caught My Eye

Post 4 Shipps Foxylady

Post 5 Maple Sugar

Post 6 J M Aggie

Post 7 Carolyn AS

Post 8 Vanilla Rainbow

Post 9 Movin Over

Post 10 Psyche Unseen

Also Eligible 1 Dynamic Lavec

Also Eligible 2 All Time Favourite

For complete results please go to:

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