WINDSOR, ON — Two-year-old trotting colt Mill Work scored an upset in the $130,000 Gold Final at Windsor Raceway on Wednesday evening, taking advantage of a hot early pace to score the come from behind victory in 2:00.2.
With trainer-driver Rick Zeron in the race bike, Mill Work sat well off the pace in seventh as favourite Victory Hall laid down fractions of :27.2, :57.3 and 1:28.3. The fans’ second choice, Dominant Kemp pressed the pace through the final turn and had disposed of Victory Hall before the colts straightened out in the stretch, but the rest of the field were revving their engines behind him.
When the dust settled from the stretch duel Mill Work was awarded the victory by a length and three-quarters, with Dominant Kemp settling for second and Classic Lavec laying down a tremendous last quarter to secure third. Owned by Stanley Malec of Belle River, Classic Lavec made a break at the three-quarters that left him 13 lengths behind the leaders but when he reached the wire the Mr Lavec son was just two and three-quarter lengths behind the leader.
The win was Mill Work’s first through three starts this season and boosted his earnings to $77,221. Oakville resident Zeron shares ownership on the Mr Lavec son with Leonard Tucker and Gestion Charest Ltee of Montreal, QC and numbered company 9131 5929 Quebec Inc. of Lachenaie, QC. The partners acquired the colt at last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale for $23,000.
Local favourite Dream On Bernie posted her second lifetime victory in the first of four Trillium Series divisions for the two-year-old trotting fillies, who warmed up the Windsor crowd for their masculine peers. The Berndt Hanover homebred and trainer-driver George Zirnis controlled the pace from Post 1, peeling off fractions of :29.1, 1:02.3 and 1:32.4 on their way to the 2:03.4 victory over Meadowviewprincess and Check And Balance.
Elmira resident Zirnis shares ownership on Dream On Bernie with Janet Fairall of Windsor, Tanya Martin of Elmira and Nancy Holmes of Clinton.
Keystone Stephanie laid down the fastest mile of the four Trillium divisions, trotting under the wire in 2:01.4 for trainer-driver Dennis Morrissey and owners David Morrissey of Ailsa Craig, Dale Hunter of Petrolia, Richard Hunter of Oil Springs and Mari Locking of London. The Donerail daughter bested favourite Lookit by three lengths and third-place finisher Gaelic by seven and a three-quarter lengths.
The other two Trillium Series divisions went to Whitesand Samantha, owned by Whitesand Valley Stables Inc. of Schomberg and trainer Scott McEneny of Waterdown, who stopped the clock at 2:02.4 and Larry Walker trainee Draven. Owned by Gresta Limited of Hanover, Draven took full advantage of a miscue by favourite Ungava to score the 2:03.3 victory.
The two-year-old trotting colts battle in their third Gold Series on Aug. 20 at Rideau Carleton Raceway, while the Ontario-sired two-year-old trotting fillies are back at Windsor Raceway on Aug. 25 for their third Gold Series or off to Kawartha Downs on Aug. 31 for Grassroots action.