ELMIRA, ON — Two-year-old trotting colt Meadowview Sunny captured his second straight Gold Final on Monday afternoon, making a wire-to-wire trip around Elmira Raceway’s half-mile oval look as easy as a morning training mile.
In spite of starting from the outside Post 7, the Classic Adam son and driver Doug Brown fired straight to the front and never faced a challenge throughout the 2:03.3 mile. They rolled easily through fractions of :31, 1:02.2 and 1:3.1 en route to their fourth straight victory.
At A Boy Eric, owned by Wellwood Stables Inc. of Cambridge and Barry Hearn of St. Pauls Station, closed well to finish second and the other elimination winner, Sno Goal, picked up the third-place finisher’s share of the $130,000 purse.
Charles Reid of Orono bred and raised Meadowview Sunny, who has earned $169,322 through his perfect four-race season. Trainer Paul Shakes has been fending off offers to purchase the colt since he lowered the track record at Kawartha Downs in the season opening Gold Final and the Stayner resident can expect a few more calls after Meadowview Sunny’s flawless outing at Elmira.
Fans in attendance at Elmira Raceway’s annual Industry Day festivities were almost perfect in their handicapping selections for the Gold Final, sending Meadowview Sunny off as the favourite, Sno Goal as their second choice and At A Boy Eric as their third. Meadowview Sunny returned $3.60 to win, $2.70 to place and $2.60 to show. Runner-up At A Boy Eric supporters cashed tickets worth $5.00 to show and $2.90 to place and Sno Goal’s third-place effort was worth $2.90. The 7 – 5 exactor paid $11.70 and the 7 – 5 – 1 triactor was worth $25.00.
In addition to the $130,00 Gold Final Elmira Raceway’s matinee featured the $200,000 Battle of Waterloo, which went to Ontario Sires Stakes regular Village Blitz in 1:57.3 . Carl Jamieson of Jarvis trains the Village Jiffy son for the Village Blitz Stable of Jarvis and his son Jody Jamieson piloted the colt to the win. The Battle of Waterloo Consolation went to Armbro Aviator in 2:00.3.
Ontario’s top two-year-old trotting colts make their next Sires Stakes start at Woodbine Racetrack on Aug. 19, while the two-year-old pacing colts resume Gold Series competition on Aug. 11 at Flamboro Downs. Ontario Sires Stakes action returns to Elmira Raceway on Friday. Aug. 16 with Grassroots action for the three-year-old trotting fillies.