GLOUCESTER, JULY 6, 2006 — It did not take long for the three-year-old pacing colts to devour Northern Luck’s track record at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Thursday evening.

In the first Gold Elimination Secluded Island sprinted by pacesetter Impeccable to a 1:51.2 triumph, shaving four-fifths of a second off the 1:52.1 mark Northern Luck set in 1997. Roger Mayotte piloted Secluded Island to the one and three-quarter length win over Impeccable and fan favourite Hyperion Hanover.

The victory was Secluded Island’s first of the season through six starts and his first ever in Ontario Sires Stakes action. A two-time Gold starter at two, Thursday’s outing was the gelding’s first appearance at the Gold level this season.

Trained by Bob Young of Guelph, Secluded Island posted five wins in eight starts as a two-year-old, including wins in a Flamboro Breeders Stake division and a leg and the final of the Autumn Stakes. Breeder Stan Klemencic of Trenton shares ownership on the gelded son of Island Fantasy and Marg N Jan with the 30 Plus Stable of Trenton and Gail Young of Guelph.

The front end was not kind to favourites at Rideau Carleton on Thursday as the fans top choice Dodgeball was also reeled in through the stretch in the second elimination. Mister Big and driver Phil Hudon dogged Dodgeball’s heels through fractions of :27.1, :56.1 and 1:24.1 and then powered by the pacesetter in the stretch to a 1:52 victory.

Dodgeball settled for second, three and three-quarter lengths behind the winner, and third-place finisher Armbro Domi was another length back in third.

Mister Big was also making his first start of the season in the Gold Series, coming into the race off a narrow 1:51 loss in overnight action at Woodbine Racetrack on June 26. Timothy Pinske trains the Grinfromeartoear colt, who was a Gold Elimination winner at two, for Pinske Stables of Plato, MN and Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Tom Crouch of Lexington, KY.

The last $39,201 elimination also saw favourite Stormaway give up the win in the final strides after carving out fractions of :27.3, :57.2 and 1:25.2. Phil Hudon picked up his second elimination win of the night, guiding long shot Windsong Cruiser to the 1:52.2 victory.

North America Cup elimination winner Doonbeg closed like a rocket to finish one-quarter of a length back in second and Stormaway settled for third, half a length behind the winner.

Trainer William Cass of Milton shares ownership of Windsong Cruiser with John Craig of North York. Unraced at two, the Rambaran colt boasts a record of three wins, four seconds and two thirds in 12 starts this season and finished second in the elimination and third in the final of his Gold Series debut at Western Fair Raceway in May.

The top three colts from each elimination will return to Rideau Carleton Raceway next Thursday, July 13 and Secluded Island’s newly minted track record could be under fire as the sophomore pacers line up behind the gate as follows:

Post 1 Dodgeball

Post 2 Impeccable

Post 3 Stormaway

Post 4 Secluded Island

Post 5 Doonbeg

Post 6 Hyperion Hanover

Post 7 Windsong Cruiser

Post 8 Armbro Domi

Post 9 Mister Big

AE1 Alastor Hanover

AE2 Eagle Luck

AE3 Presidential Alert

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rridcfth.html