CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — When two-year-old pacing colt Goose Creek failed to advance to the Final of the season opening Gold Series his owners were disappointed, but philosophical. Three weeks and two wins later Ken Ewen admits their expectations are a little higher heading into Sunday night’s $130,000 Gold Final at Mohawk Racetrack.

“Naturally we have very high hopes for him now, and that’s a problem too,” says the Georgetown resident with a wry chuckle. “So far he looks very promising.”

After finishing fourth in his Ontario Sires Stakes debut, Goose Creek proceeded to raise his owners expectations with a 1:56 win in the June 24 consolation at Georgian Downs and an impressive 1:54 victory in Gold Elimination action at Mohawk Racetrack last weekend.

“He missed the Final, but that was all right. He learned a lesson there and went on to the consolation and won it,” says Ewen, who shares ownership on the colt with breeders Barry and Debbie Bird of Harwood and Cyril Hayes of Burlington. “Then we got very lucky with Funny Bones being scratched last week. I thought we were in very tough again and doubted that he would make the Final.”

With reigning Gold Final champion and Georgian Downs track record holder Funny Bones scratched due to sickness, Mohawk fans made Beal Hanover their top choice in last Sunday’s third elimination. When that colt made an early break, driver Mike Saftic wasted no time hustling Goose Creek to the front where he rolled to a :57.1 half and 1:26.4 three-quarters before laying down an impressive :27.1 last quarter to claim the one length victory.

“Hopefully he’s got a bit more in the tank yet,” says Ewen. “He’s getting better every start.”

Ewen acquired his share in the son of Camluck and $187,077 winner Jack’s Creek when the Bird’s and Hayes bought the colt back for $40,000 from the Forest City Yearling Sale last October.

“I’ve known both of them for years. Cyril and myself owned a horse I raised called Worthy Countessa. She was an O’Brien award winner in her day,” explains the long time owner. “Things just worked out at the sale. They bought the horse back and I was fortunate enough to be able to buy into him.”

The group handed the colt off to trainer David Menary, and the Caledon resident was pleased with Goose Creek’s development through the winter, but hesitant to raise expectations before the young pacer had been tested against his peers.

“I think David really liked him from the very start,” notes Ewen. “But he played his cards pretty close to his chest. He didn’t want to say, �This is a great horse,’ and look like an idiot later on.”

Now that Goose Creek has started to earn his keep, with $27,171 earned in three starts, his connections are beginning to lose their initial reserve and Ewen is looking forward to seeing what the colt and Saftic can do from Post 4 in Sunday’s Gold Final.

“We never miss a race,” he says. “We were at Georgian Downs for both starts and at Mohawk last week, and we’ll be there again this coming Sunday.”

With the other elimination winners Twin B Survivor, Warrawee Ideal and Twin B Impact lining up from Posts 1, 3 and 6, the Final should deliver more of the exceptional racing fans have seen from the two-year-old pacing colts so far this season.

Post time at Mohawk Racetrack this Sunday is 7 pm and the freshman pacing colts will battle for the Gold Final crown in Race 8.

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