CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Gold Final winners and Modern Art daughters Modern Connection and Lauren met for the first time in the second of two $40,000 Gold Eliminations at Mohawk Racetrack on Friday, and round one in their heavyweight bout went to Modern Connection.

Starting from Post 2 Mark MacDonald hustled Modern Connection away from the starting gate into second spot behind fan favourites Lauren and driver Steve Condren. Lauren carried the field through fractions of :13.2, :28, :56.3 and 1:25.4, swinging into the stretch with a one and one-half length lead.

After sitting contentedly in the pocket throughout the mile, MacDonald tipped Modern Connection to the outside in the lane and the filly laid down a snappy final eighth to secure a one and one-quarter length victory in 1:53.3. Lauren stayed the course along the rail and finished second, with Lady Jill four lengths back in third. Fourth and fifth-place finishers Shipps Xanadu and Lyons Puddin Pie also advanced to next weekend’s $130,000 Gold Final.

The win was the fourth this season for Modern Connection, who captured her elimination and the final of the season opening Gold Series at Grand River Raceway in July and then skipped the next three Gold events. Her other victory came in a division of the Champlain Stakes at Mohawk on Sept. 11, where she recorded her personal best 1:52.4.

Centreville, MI resident Joe Seekman trains the talented daughter of Modern Art and Cambest Connection for owner-breeders Yousif S. Yousif of Chesterfield, MI and Ameer Najor of Detroit, MI. Through 10 starts the young pacer now has four wins, two seconds and one third for earnings of $232,797.

The first Gold Elimination saw Village Janus step smartly away from the start, ringing up a :13 opening eighth. The filly owned the lead through the :28.2 quarter, but was quickly overtaken by early pocket sitter Imagine Semalu. Once they reached the front Imagine Semalu and driver Mario Baillargeon opened up a two length lead, reaching the half in :57 and the three-quarters in 1:25.3.

Stonebridge Damsel attempted a challenge around the final turn, but Imagine Semalu drew away to a three and three-quarter lengths margin in the stretch. Fan favourite Monkey On My Wheel kicked into gear late and carved that margin down to one and three-quarter lengths, but the victory belonged to Imagine Semalu, who stopped the clock in a personal best 1:54.2.

Stonebridge Damsel was seven and three-quarter lengths back in third, with Bunkhouse Babe and Village Janus rounding out the qualifiers for the Oct. 22 Gold Final at Woodbine Racetrack.

Pierre Touchette trains Imagine Semalu for owner-breeders Semalu Inc. and Zoom and Fish Stable Inc. of Laval, QC. Through 13 starts the daughter of Life Sign and Verge Dor Semalu has accumulated two wins, one second and two thirds for earnings of $57,620. A third generation product of the Semalu breeding program, Imagine Semalu is a half sister to $443,231 winner Semalu Express.

Imagine Semalu will line up behind Post 7 for next week’s Gold Final, while Modern Connection and reigning Gold Final champion Lauren will be eyeball to eyeball at Posts 2 and 3. Monkey On My Wheel’s hopes for a second Gold Final title will be handicapped by the outside Post 10. The complete line up for the Oct. 22 Gold Final, which will be contested at Woodbine Racetrack, is as follows:

$130,000 Gold Final — Friday, Oct. 22 at Woodbine Racetrack

Post 1 Lyons Puddin Pie

Post 2 Modern Connection

Post 3 Lauren

Post 4 Lady Jill

Post 5 Village Janus

Post 6 Bunkhouse Babe

Post 7 Imagine Semalu

Post 8 Shipps Xanadu

Post 9 Stonebridge Damsel

Post 10 Monkey On My Wheel

Also Eligible 1 Tanned For Life

Also Eligible 2 Lyons Carrie

For complete results click: Mohawk Racetrack Results — Oct. 15, 2010