CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Mohawk Racetrack spotlights two outstanding Gold Series divisions on Sunday evening as the two-year-old trotting fillies compete in their fourth $130,000 Gold Final and the three-year-old pacing colts battle in their second last set of Gold Eliminations.

Fresh off a third-place finish behind a pair of American-bred heavyweights in the Aug. 20 Confederation Cup Final at Flamboro Downs, Secluded Island will be looking for another top finish in the first of two $58,052 Gold Eliminations.

“He was good the other day, but he’s been good every start. He goes out and tries, he gives 100 per cent every race,” says trainer Bob Young. “He’s only missed two cheques in 13 starts, and he’s never raced bad.”

Contested as a heat and a Final in one afternoon, the Confederation Cup is a demanding test, both physically and mentally, and Young says Secluded Island seems to have come through with flying colours.

“He ate everything up that night and the next day we walked him and grassed him for half an hour and he was pulling us all around,” says the Guelph resident, who trains the colt for his wife Gail Young of Guelph and Stan Klemencic and the 30 Plus Stable of Trenton. “We turned him out Tuesday for half an hour and he trotted around outside and then we walked and grassed him and he was pulling us around again. I jogged him this morning (Wednesday) and was on both lines, sharp as anything.”

Secluded Island and driver Roger Mayotte will start from Post 3 in the third race on Sunday and Young says the draw should suit the Island Fantasy son, who is at his best coming from off the pace.

“He drew good again this week. There is lots of inside speed there and hopefully he can get a good trip,” says the horseman. “They are pretty even divisions. There are a couple of newcomers who are going to try and see how they do, but when it’s all said and done I think the top 10 or 11 will be the top 10 or 11.

“The good ones kind of rise to the top,” he notes. “They’ve been there all year and they are going to stay there.”

Among the colts that Secluded Island will face are reigning Gold Final champion Mr Feelgood from Post 7 and Eagle Luck, who won his Confederation Cup heat and then finished fifth in the final with broken equipment, from Post 8.

The second elimination, Race 8 on Mohawk’s Sunday evening program, features Canadian Breeders Champion Doonbeg from Post 2 and former Gold Final winner Stormaway from Post 9.

Two-year-old trotting filly Lakeside Bride will be looking to repeat as the Gold Final champion from Post 9 in the fifth race. The Duke Of York miss and driver Paul MacDonell were effortless winners in the elimination round last weekend, cruising across the finish line five lengths ahead of their peers in 1:59.1.

Dustin Jones trains the royally bred filly, a half-sister to former Ontario sire King Conch, for Al Libfeld of Pickering and Marvin Katz of Toronto. After starting her season with a win and a third in non-winners of one race action at Hippodrome de Montreal, Lakeside Bride boasts a second and two wins in Gold Series competition.

Standing between Lakeside Bride and a second Gold Final title, and between the reigning champion and the rail, are elimination winners Caught My Eye at Post 2, Corporate Girl at Post 4 and Carolyn AS at Post 6. While Corporate Girl and Carolyn AS are in search of their first Gold Final trophy, Caught My Eye and veteran reinsman Bill O’Donnell would like to reclaim the title they won at Flamboro Downs on July 8.

Trainer Frank O’Reilly of Orton, John Fielding of Toronto and John Ferguson of Windsor own Caught My Eye, who bested rival Tymal Timeout by three and a half lengths in her 1:59.3 elimination triumph. The Angus Hall miss was making her second start back after a three week vacation from the racing scene.

Post time at Mohawk Racetrack on Sunday evening is 7 pm and the two-year-old trotting fillies will battle in their $130,000 Gold Final in Race 5. The three-year-old pacing colts step to centre stage for Gold Elimination action in Races 3 and 8. The top five finishers from each elimination will return to the Campbellville oval on Sunday, Sept. 3 for their second last shot at a Gold Final title.

For complete entries please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/emohssu.html