WINDSOR, ON — Windsor Raceway fans get a second helping of Ontario Sires Stakes excitement this week as the two-year-old pacing fillies return to the five-eighths mile oval for their $130,000 Gold Final on Wednesday evening.

The fillies delivered impressive performances in the elimination round, with Bob McIntosh trainee Los Angeles stepping off the fastest of the four divisions, stopping the clock in 1:55.2. The Camluck daughter will start from Post 3 in Wednesday’s ninth race and McIntosh is expecting another solid effort from the $115,000 US yearling.

“Chris (Christoforou) got a trip where he was able to shut her right down at the wire and gather her up,” says the La Salle resident. “It’s nice when you’re able to leave a bit in the tank, and she’ll probably need it. That filly of Carl Jamieson’s (Taylor Lynne) is a nice filly.”

The veteran trainer was pleased to see Los Angeles draw close to the rail, noting that an inside post is usually a benefit at the Windsor oval.

“Windsor is a speed favouring track,” he says. “You’ve got to be somewhere up near the front because there’s not much stretch to work with.”

Los Angeles, who McIntosh co-owns with Al McIntosh of Leamington and CSX Stables of Liberty Center, OH, is one of two fillies the trainer will harness in Wednesdays’ $130,000 skirmish. The 2001 and 2002 Johnston Cup winner will also send out Special Magic from Post 8.

Another daughter of Camluck, out of $533,784 winner Art In The Park, Special Magic finished second in her elimination and McIntosh expects the filly to be one step better this week.

“She’s very green, that was only her third lifetime start and the fractions were fast. She got used pretty good and she stayed honest,” he says. “She’ll improve off that start.”

Breeders Brittany Farms of Versailles, KY own the filly, who was a late bloomer among McIntosh’s 2003 freshman crop.

“She is a big filly and she had a couple of growing spells where she looked kind of awkward, but she got it together in the last few months,” he explains. “She does nothing wrong, she’s a nice filly.”

Chris Christoforou qualified both fillies for the Final and will drive Los Angeles on Wednesday with Steve Condren picking up the ride aboard Special Magic.

Among the fillies both drivers will be keeping an eye on are reigning Gold Final champion Taylor Lynne from Post 5 and the other two elimination winners, In Concert from Post 4 and Double Creme from Post 6.

Local filly Blue Alert, owned by Dr. Reginald Westgarth and Gilda Poitras’ Regil Investments of Amherstburg drew the short stick among the third-place finishers from the elimination and will start from Post 1 in Wednesday’s Final.

Windsor Raceway’s Wednesday evening program begins at 7:25 pm and the two-year-old pacing fillies will square off for battle in Race 9.