INNISFIL, ON — Over a Georgian Downs track rated two seconds slower than normal due to the rain, two-year-old pacing filly Taylor Lynne scored the fastest of three Gold Elimination wins on Tuesday evening.
The Fit For Life daughter and driver Jody Jamieson left sharply from Post 3 and led the field of nine top fillies through fractions of :27.4, :58 and 1:27.3 en route to the 1:56.3 victory. Taylor Lynne faced a brief challenge at the three-quarter pole from reigning Gold Final winner Double Creme, but that filly’s tough trip up the outside took its toll as she faded to third around the final turn. Apache Beauty finished two and three-quarter lengths behind Taylor Lynne in second.
Although the win was Taylor Lynne’s first in four outings, the filly is no stranger to tough competition. She was third in her Gold Elimination at Woodbine Racetrack on June 30 and finished fourth in the Gold Final one week later. Carl Jamieson of Princeton trains the winner of $38,751 for his partners Jerry Jamieson of Blenheim, Gerald Rattray of Hamilton and Arthur Slack of Cumbria, England. The group acquired the filly for just $15,500 at last fall’s Northern Standardbred Yearling Sale in Barrie.
First time Gold starter Los Angeles captured the first elimination with a savvy drive from last year’s top Ontario Sires Stakes reinsman Don McElroy. Leaving from Post 2 the pair landed in second through the early going and watched patiently as the lead changed hands twice before the halfway marker. Heading for the three-quarters McElroy sent Los Angeles after the front runners and the Camluck filly sailed off to a two length lead by the top of the stretch and a four length margin at the wire, stopping the clock at 1:57.4.
Cohenikova overcame interference at the start of the race to finish a hard closing second, narrowly edging early pacesetter Wipethatsmerkoff for the runner-up spot.
In spite of her lack experience at the Gold Series level, Georgian Downs fans sent Los Angeles off as their top pick based on a dominant 1:59.2 victory in a July 9 qualifier at Windsor Raceway. Bob McIntosh of La Salle trains the filly, a $115,000 purchase out of the Kentucky Standardbred Yearling Sale, for his partners Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. of Leamington and CSX Stables of Liberty Center, OH.
In the final elimination Warrawee Flare picked up her second Gold Series victory with a relatively sedate 1:58.1 score over an improving racing surface. In rein to Mike Saftic, the filly stalked pacesetter Lucys Fame from the moment the starting gate folded. As Lucys Fame and Carl Jamieson dawdled through fractions of :28.2, :59 and 1:28.1, Saftic bided his time waiting for the right moment to unleash Warrawee Flare’s speed.
As the duo turned for home Warrawee Flare was one and a quarter lengths behind Lucys Fame, but once Saftic hit the gas pedal the Northern Luck daughter powered down the stretch to a three-quarter length triumph. Shes Camazing finished two lengths behind the pacesetters in third.
Carlisle resident Bill Budd trains Warrawee Flare for his partners Break N Run Racing Stable of Ohsweken. A $13,000 bargain at the Canadian Classic Sale, Warrawee Flare has already earned $59,264 in just three starts. In addition to her pair of Gold Elimination victories, the filly collected the third-place finisher’s share of the $130,000 Gold Final purse on July 7 at Woodbine.
The top three finishers from each of Tuesday’s Eliminations will return to Georgian Downs next Tuesday, July 22 for their second $130,000 Gold Final.