CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Queen Of Jewels became the only three-year-old trotting filly to capture two Gold Finals with an impressive come-from-behind victory at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday evening.
With regular reinsman Steve Condren in the race bike, the King Conch daughter settled into fifth position as Wescott and favourite For The Luva Moni carved early fractions of :28.1 and :58.2 over a track rated one second slower than normal. Heading to the 1:28.3 three-quarters Condren sent Queen Of Jewels up the outside behind Excusez Moi and by the time the fillies turned for home the pair were just a neck behind For The Luva Moni.
A burst of speed through the stretch powered Queen Of Jewels to the 1:58.4 victory, two lengths up on a hard closing Zorgwijk Delighted and four ahead of third-place finisher Oaklea Lizzy.
“It’s just a pleasure to work with a guy like Carman (Hie). He has just done a heck of a job with this filly all year,” said Condren after the race. “She hasn’t been the easiest to get around and last week to this week has been like night and day. The work he has done with her in between has been great, she just excelled tonight.”
Trainer Carman Hie of Beamsville shares ownership on Queen Of Jewels with long time partner Stewart Cockshutt of Rockwood, Gary Smith of Burlington and Peter Kloepfer of Harley. The group acquired the talented trotter for $25,000 as a yearling and Monday’s win propelled her over $294,706 lifetime.
After struggling with steering problems as a two-year-old, Queen Of Jewels has matured into a consistent player in the sophomore Gold Series. Through 14 starts this season she has recorded six wins, two seconds and one third and will wrap up the regular season in third spot in the division standings with 212 points.
“She just seems to be able to do it either way you ask. I think she is a little bit better on the front-end on a good track,” noted Condren. “She has her quirks, but she always comes to work.”
Queen Of Jewels’ next assignment comes in the $300,000 Super Final at Mohawk Racetrack on Saturday, Nov. 8. The lucrative finale will feature the top 10 point earners from the regular season Gold events.
The Ontario Sires Stakes program makes one last stop at the Campbellville oval prior to the Nov. 8 Super Final extravaganza, next Saturday, Nov. 1 when the two-year-old pacing fillies and trotting fillies battle in their last $130,000 Gold Finals.