DUNDAS, ON — Heavy favourite Must Be Matt delivered the sharpest of three Gold Series Eliminations at Flamboro Downs on Saturday afternoon. The Barnett Hanover son and driver Jason Gale powered around the half-mile oval in an effortless 1:54.1.
Leaving from Post 4 Gale had Must Be Matt two lengths in front of the field of two-year-old pacing colts well before the teletimer ticked off the :27.4 opening quarter. Through a :58 half and lightening fast 1:25.4 three-quarters the pair never saw a challenger and they cruised under the wire four lengths ahead of Fastest Rustler. Winning Matters, owned by trainer Ben Wallace of Milton, John Palcit Holdings Inc. of Amherstburg and Chris Gratton of Brantford, picked up the third and final qualifying spot for next week’s $130,000 Gold Final.
Joseph and Beverley Santarossa of Maidstone bred and own Must Be Matt, who represents the third generation of their breeding program. The couple also bred his mother Bevs Raindrop and his grand-dam Robins Rainbow.
Must Be Matt has been flawless since his July 7 debut in a qualifier at Windsor Raceway and trainer Ross Siddall prepared the colt for his Ontario Sires Stakes debut with a pair of victories in non-winners races at the border oval on July 14 and 21. Saturday’s start was his first in Ontario Sires Stakes action.
Also employing front-end tactics to reach the OSS winner’s circle for the first time were Mario Baillargeon and Zooka, who paced to a three-quarter length victory in 1:56.1. Another Ben Wallace trainee, Zooka stayed game down the stretch to hold off Caviarandsoftmusic by three-quarters of a length. Silent Swing was two more lengths back in third.
Wallace shares ownership on Zooka, a $24,000 yearling purchase, with James Millier of Dorchester. The Astreos colt was the runner-up in both the elimination and final of the Battle Of Waterloo, behind Gold Series division leader Banner Yankee, and his exploits over the Grand River Raceway half-mile convinced Flamboro fans to send the colt off as their top choice.
The other elimination went to Rigio Hanover and trainer-driver Paul Mackenzie, who stalked pacesetters Gone Grining and Seventh Evan before bursting out in the stretch to pull off a four and a half length upset in 1:55.3. Favourite Gone Grining settled for second and Seventh Evan landed the third-place share of the $39,735 purse.
Mackenzie trains Rigio Hanover for Andrew Moore and Allan Moore of Charlottetown, PEI, who purchased the Island Fantasy gelding for a bargain basement $5,500 US at last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Through seven starts this season the young pacer has already earned $32,440, with his only out of the money finish coming after an early break in the July 13 Gold Elimination at Georgian Downs.
The top three colts from each elimination return to Flamboro Downs for their $130,000 Gold Final on Sunday, Aug. 22 as part of the warm-up for the exciting Confederation Cup.