ELORA, ON — Ontario’s two-year-old trotting colts continued to share the wealth as three new faces appeared in the Grand River Raceway winner’s circle following Monday’s Gold Elimination battles.

The two-year-old trotting colts kicked off the exciting evening of racing, which also featured eliminations for the two-year-old pacing colt Battle of Waterloo and two-year-old pacing filly Battle of the Belles, and long shot Creampuff Macdaddy set the tone for the Gold Eliminations with an off the pace 2:01 score.

Starting from Post 5 the Ken Warkentin son and driver Jack Moiseyev settled into fifth as Third Pat rolled out to a :29.1 opening quarter, and they continued along in mid-pack through the :59.2 half. Heading for the 1:30.3 three-quarters, Moiseyev sent Creampuff Macdaddy up the outside and the colt had closed to within half a length of Third Pat by the time he reached the top of the stretch.

A solid finishing kick propelled Creampuff Macdaddy by the pacesetter and on to a three and one-quarter length victory in 2:01. Third Pat settled for second and Filthy Paddy was three more lengths back in third. Fan favourite, and reigning Gold Final champion, Murmur Hanover made a miscue heading for the half and finished well back in seventh.

The win was Creampuff Macdaddy’s first in three outings. The Brad Maxwell trainee started off his freshman campaign with a fourth in the Grassroots season opener at Clinton Raceway on July 8 and then finished sixth in his Gold Elimination at Mohawk Racetrack on July 16. Woodstock resident Doug Millard purchased Creampuff Macdaddy from the 2011 Canadian Yearling Sale for $22,000.

Based on his consistent efforts behind Murmur Hanover in the Mohawk Gold event, Grand River Raceway fans sent Sparky Gypsy off as their top choice in the second elimination and the Mr Lavec son delivered in impressive fashion.

Starting from Post 5, Sparky Gypsy spent the bulk of the mile in the outer flow as Dewer Kash clocked fractions of :30.2, 1:01.4 and 1:31.3. When driver Anthony MacDonald asked the fan favourite for another gear in the stretch, Sparky Gypsy responded with a burst of speed that saw him hit the wire three-quarters of a length on top in 2:01.3. Dewer Kash had to be content with second, while Photo Mass closed well for third.

Delaware, OH resident Christopher Beaver trains Sparky Gypsy for his partners Johanna Beaver of Delaware, OH and Bill Manes of Rockwood. Through four starts the young trotter has produced one win, one second and one third for earnings of $45,000.

The final elimination saw Grassroots winner Sam Hayes mind his manners at the start, take control of the race before the half and dig hard in the stretch to score a head victory over Majestized in 2:02. Gotta Secret was well back of the dueling leaders in third, while favourite Schoolhouse Rock made an early break and finished seventh.

David Boughton crafted Sam Hayes’ second straight victory for trainer Don Lindsey of Fergus and his partners Paul Kleinpaste of Orangeville and Paul Lindsey of Fergus. The Angus Hall gelding was fifth in the Grassroots season opener at Clinton Raceway on July 8 and has banked $33,200 in three starts for his owners, who wrote a $13,000 cheque to acquire the trotter from last fall’s Canadian Yearling Sale.

In next week’s Gold Final, part of Grand River Raceway’s popular Industry Day matinee on Monday, Aug. 6, Sam Hayes will start from Post 2, Sparky Gypsy gets Post 3, and Creampuff Macdaddy will be handicapped by the outside Post 8. The complete line up for the third $130,000 Gold Final on the two-year-old trotting colt schedule is as follows:

$130,000 Gold Series Final — Monday, Aug. 6 at Grand River Raceway

POST 1 FILTHY PADDY

POST 2 SAM HAYES

POST 3 SPARKY GYPSY

POST 4 THIRD PAT

POST 5 PHOTO MASS

POST 6 GOTTA SECRET

POST 7 DEWER KASH

POST 8 CREAMPUFF MACDADDY

POST 9 MAJESTIZED

For complete results please go to Grand River Raceway Results — July 30, 2012