TORONTO, ON — Monday evening marked Peach Martini’s last opportunity to score a Gold Final victory, and not even the dreaded Post 10 at Woodbine Racetrack could stand in the way of the two-year-old trotting filly earning the one prize that has eluded her all season.

Heading into Monday’s $130,000 test, Peach Martini had captured every single Gold Elimination she had entered, but had been shut out of the Gold Final winner’s circle, finishing second twice and fifth once. Fans across the province believed in the Striking Sahbra daughter, sending her off as the favourite in all seven of her Gold Series starts, and they remained loyal on Monday in spite of her tough post position draw, making her their top choice over another of last week’s Gold Elimination winners, L A Freeway.

As the fillies stepped away from the Woodbine Racetrack starting gate, two-time Gold Final winner Extraordinaire secured the early lead, reaching the one-eighth marker in :13.3. Ugotlegs dropped into second and Quantum Victoria locked up the third spot, leaving L A Freeway driving up the outside around the first turn. The Kadabra miss and driver Paul MacDonell reached the front before the :28.1 quarter and were cruising along with a comfortable two length lead by the :57.3 half.

As L A Freeway led the field to a 1:27.2 three-quarters, reigning Gold Final winner My Whispering Eye was mounting a challenge from the outside, followed by Quantum Victoria and a seemingly unfocussed Peach Martini. Entering the stretch L A Freeway was still on top by over a length and Peach Martini was still more than four lengths back in sixth, but when trainer-driver Rick Zeron popped the ear plugs and pointed Peach Martini at the wire, the fan favourite responded with a spectacular rush that saw her overtake L A Freeway and hit the wire two lengths ahead in a personal best 1:57.2.

L A Freeway, who is owned by breeders Marvin Katz of Toronto and Al Libfeld of Pickering, ON, was rewarded for her efforts with the second-place share of the $130,000 Gold Final purse and Quantum Victoria picked up the third-place cheque.

Oakville, ON resident Zeron trains and drives Peach Martini for his partners Michael Katz of Thornhill, ON, Stephen Waldman of Toronto and Rojan Stables of Wilmington, DE. The victory was the gifted young trotter’s fifth in nine starts and boosted her season’s earnings to $221,356. A $25,000 purchase from last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, Peach Martini wraps up the regular season atop the Gold Series point standings with 305 points, 72 ahead of Extraordinaire.

The top 10 point earners will now begin preparations for the Nov. 13 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack, worth a lucrative $300,000.

Ontario Sires Stakes action continues to highlight Woodbine Racetrack’s opening week, with the two-year-old trotting colts making their final regular season start over the Toronto oval on Thursday evening. Post time for Thursday evening’s program is 7:30 pm, with the freshman trotting colts dueling in Race 5.

For complete results click: Woodbine Racetrack Results — Oct. 18, 2010