OTTAWA, ON — Miss Paris made her debut in the Ontario Sires Stakes program with a five length victory in last week’s Gold Elimination at Rideau Carleton Raceway, and the two-year-old trotting filly cemented her status as a late season contender with a matching effort in Thursday’s $130,000 Gold Final.
Nine fillies lined up behind the starting gate at the Ottawa oval and Frisky Strike left sharply from Post 3 to lead the Gold Final field to a :28.3 opening quarter. Heading toward the half, driver Jacques Hebert moved fan favourite Circles out of the pocket and striped control from Frisky Strike, reaching the midway marker in :59.
After easing off the gate from Post 5, Scott Zeron sent Miss Paris up the outside heading for the half, and the elimination winner sailed confidently by the leaders to a 1:27.4 three-quarters. Two lengths on top turning for home, Miss Paris maintained a lively tempo down the stretch and hit the wire five lengths ahead of her peers in 1:58 on a Rideau Carleton surface rated one second slower than normal.
Defending Gold Final champion Circles, who is owned by John Smith Racing Stable Inc. of Woodlawn, had to settle for second spot, while Counter Pointe was able to sprint into third after circling out three-wide at the three-quarters. Early leader Frisky Strike earned the fourth-place share, while last week’s other elimination winner, Miss Majestic, finished fifth for Steacy Hing Bertrand of Lansdowne, Landmark IV Racing Stable of Kingston, Bannon Stables of Napanee and Diane Bertrand of Edmonton, AB.
The Gold Final victory was the fourth win of the season for Miss Paris, who is owned by Ottawa resident Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman of Miami Beach, FL and David McDuffee of Delray Beach, FL. Last week marked the filly’s first appearance in the Gold Series, after two months of matching wits with North America’s best on both sides of the border.
A $210,000 purchase out of last fall’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale, Miss Paris follows in the footsteps of her elder sister Bella Dolce, who was a Gold Final winner at both two and three and earned $753,133 in her career. The daughter of Kadabra and $668,824 winner Pizza Dolce will have an opportunity to defend her Gold Final title at Woodbine Racetrack on Oct. 6 and 13.
In addition, with 100 points accumulated from her Gold Elimination and Gold Final victories, Miss Paris is virtually assured of a berth in the $300,000 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack on Nov. 12.
Thursday’s Gold Final wrapped up Rideau Carleton Raceway’s 2011 Ontario Sires Stakes season, which saw the Ottawa oval play host to five Grassroots and five Gold Series events.
For complete results please go to: Rideau Carleton Raceway Results — Sept. 29, 2011