OTTAWA, ON — While his peers ship across the province in a horse trailer on Monday, two-year-old pacing gelding Retail will be enjoying his normal routine, hoping that home field advantage helps him to a top four placing in one of two $40,000 Gold Series Eliminations.
In preparation for his Ontario Sires Stakes debut, Retail qualified sharply around a sloppy Rideau Carleton Raceway oval on June 23, finishing second by less than a length in 2:02.4. Then trainer-driver Guy Gagnon gave him a test in non-winners of one race company on July 4, and Retail held his own, finishing fourth in a 1:58 mile.
“I qualified him in 2:02 in the mud, I raced him one time, he paced in 1:58, he come back in :28.4,” says Gagnon. “We wanted to try him here because we don’t have to travel.
“He has a big heart, he tries hard,” adds the Gatineau, QC resident, who currently leads the driver’s colony at Rideau Carleton. “He’s a really nice horse to work around. He do everything right.”
Owner Robert Seguin of Gatineau purchased Retail for $12,000 at last year’s Canadian Open Yearling Sale and taught the Royal Mattjesty son his early lessons. When Retail seemed to reach a plateau in June, Seguin opted to hand the gelding over to Gagnon, who made a few changes to the pacer’s equipment and routines.
“I think he was in 2:02, 2:04 when he sent him to me,” recalls Gagnon. “He have a couple things to change — equipment, shoeing. I fixed it the best I can, right now he looks good.”
Gagnon will steer Retail from Post 4 in the second Gold Elimination, lining up alongside the undefeated Warrawee Needy, currently ranked as the fastest two-year-old in North America due to his 1:51.4 mile in the June 27 Gold Eliminations at Mohawk Racetrack. While Gagnon does not expect Retail to challenge the reigning Gold Final champion, he is hoping the half-brother to $168,338 winner Going Native can hold his own in the field of seven.
“I school him this morning (Thursday) again in Rideau, and he schooled very good this morning,” reports Gagnon. “He maybe can surprise Monday night.
“Four is just in the middle of the field. It’s a good spot for him at Rideau,” he adds.
The other division features Gold Elimination winner and Gold Final runner-up Jake Sully from the advantageous Post 1.
The two-year-old pacing colts will battle in Races 2 and 4 on Monday evening, with the top four finishers from each elimination, plus one fifth-place finisher selected by random draw, returning to the Ottawa oval for the July 18 Gold Final. Post time for Monday’s first race is 4:30 pm.
For complete entries please go to: Rideau Carleton Raceway Entries — July 11, 2011