INNISFIL, ON — Georgian Downs promised “all the fun of the wild, wild west” on it’s $1 million Gold Rush program Saturday, and Ontario’s remarkable crop of three-year-old trotters and pacers arrived at the Innisfil oval with guns a-blazing, setting a total of three track records.
Im Just Special was the first to write her name into the Georgian Downs track record book, clocking a 1:52 upset in the three-year-old pacing filly Gold Final. The mile matched the 1:52 record set by former Ontario Sires Stakes competitor Michelles Power in last season’s Gold Series campaign.
Elimination winner Voelz Hanover fired off hot early fractions, reaching the quarter in :26.1 and the half in :55.2, before coming under pressure from Im Just Special and driver Mike Saftic. By the 1:23 three-quarters Voelz Hanover was on top by just a half length, and Im Just Special continued to attack around the final turn and down the stretch, finally getting by the pacesetter and drawing away to a one length victory.
Elm Grove Camlady, the longest shot in the nine filly field, rocketed home from the back of the pack to nudge Voelz Hanover into third-place.
Tom Artandi trains Im Just Special for Theodore and Susan Colby of Bronxville, NY. Through 11 starts this season the Camluck miss has recorded four wins, four seconds and two thirds, banking just over $136,000. A four time starter in the Gold Series as a two-year-old, Im Just Special made her sophomore Ontario Sires Stakes debut at the Grassroots level, where she romped to a seven-length win over the Windsor Raceway oval.
Four races later B Strike Three trotted into the OSS and Georgian Downs record books with an outstanding 1:53.4 triumph in the three-year-old trotting colt Gold Final.
Starting from Post 4 driver Rick Zeron sent the Striking Sahbra son to the front just past the :27.3 opening quarter and the pair never had cause to glance over their shoulder. Through the :56.4 half and 1:26 three-quarters B Strike Three maintained a comfortable one and three-quarter lead on the field, and then in the stretch the talented young trotter simply powered away to a six length victory in track and Ontario Sires Stakes record time.
Gold Final regular O U Gus delivered another steady performance to earn the second-place share of the $120,000 purse, while Start Livin picked up third-place spoils.
B Strike Three replaces Majestic Son in the record books, lowering the former O’Brien Award winner’s record by a full second. Raz Mackenzie trains the colt for owner and breeder Ben Robards III of Shepherdsville, KY. Through six starts this season B Strike Three boasts four wins — two Gold Eliminations and two Gold Finals — and two thirds for earnings of $197,174.
Finally, Keystone Horatio roared to a 1:50.2 victory in the three-year-old pacing colt Gold Final, lowering the track record he set in last week’s elimination by three-fifths of a second.
Fans sent Keystone Horatio off as their top choice and regular reinsman Randy Waples clearly agreed with their assessment, sending the colt straight to the front from Post 5. The pair rocked through fractions of :26.2, :55.2 and 1:22.4 before sprinting down the stretch to claim the two length victory in track record time.
Elimination winner The Mohegan Pan endured a tough trip up the outside to finish second, while Constant Craving turned his pocket trip into a third-place payday.
George Hempt of Camp Hill, PA bred and owns Rustler Hanover son Keystone Horatio, who has four wins and two seconds to his credit through seven starts this season. The John Kopas trainee’s only off the board finish came in the North America Cup Final, where he finished tenth from the difficult Post 10.
Waples also engineered a Gold Final victory in the three-year-old trotting filly skirmish for Rene Laarman trainee Delphic. The Striking Sahbra daughter, owned by Melvin Hartman of Ottawa, and brothers John and Jim Fielding of Toronto, swept down the stretch to snatch the neck victory away from Charming Oaks. Elimination winners Benediction Lindy and Warrawee June swapped places when Warrawee June was set back from third to fourth for a break in the stretch.
Georgian Downs fans were also treated to a trio of Gold Consolation events. Lyons Geoff captured the three-year-old pacing colt consolation in 1:51, Nashotah was awarded the three-year-old trotting filly consolation with a 1:56.3 effort, and Rapid Strategy landed top spot in the three-year-old trotting colt consolation with a 1:56 mile.
Not wanting to be outdone by their younger counterparts, the Masters Series competitors did some record breaking of their own. Adam T lowered J M Van Gogh’s track and world record with a 1:53.1 triumph in the aged trotting horse and gelding final, and Tigerama matched the all age pacing record with his 1:50 score.
Ontario’s talented three-year-old trotters and pacers return to Gold Series action at tracks across the province in early August, while Georgian Downs fans will witness the Grassroots debut of the two-year-old pacing colts on July 19.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rgeodfsa.html