REXDALE, ON — Driver Chris Christoforou calls her a freak of nature, owner Joe Myers says he never imagined she would be so successful and the other eight contestants in Saturday’s three-year-old trotting filly Super Final have found her unbeatable for the last two years.
Her name is Peaceful Way and she is the highest earning trotting filly ever to come out of the Ontario Sires Stakes program. She will start from Post 9 in Woodbine Racetrack’s seventh race on Saturday and Christoforou can hardly wait to climb into the race bike for her last sophomore start.
“I’ve never sat behind a filly who could trot like that. She can go so fast, so quick,” says the Campbellville resident. “I’m very confident driving her, especially in the Sires Stakes. If she’s good she’ll be really good, and if she’s not she still might win.”
The winner of $1.54 million has been invincible in Ontario Sires Stakes competition since making her Gold Series debut in September 2003. Trainer Dave Tingley of Guelph, breeder Angie Stiller of Arva and Goin My Way Stable of Holland, PA share three Gold Final trophies, three Gold Elimination trophies and the two-year-old trotting filly Super Final crystal.
The Angus Hall daughter has also captured eliminations of the Breeders Crown and Hambletonian Oaks, and the elimination and final of the Delvin Miller Memorial, Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of Ontario, Goldsmith Maid and Oakville Stakes.
The only regret the partners have is that Peaceful Way was unable to claim a Breeders Crown or Hambletonian Oaks title. At two she made a break in her Breeders Crown elimination at the Meadowlands and failed to advance to the Final. This season she made a break in the Hambletonian Oaks Final after winning her elimination and then suffered the same heartbreak in the Oct. 23 Breeders Crown Final at Woodbine.
“The Breeders Crown was tough. It was hard to take,” admits Christoforou. “But she’s had a pretty good year. When she’s stayed flat she’s been good.”
As long as the fractious filly minds her manners Christoforou expects Saturday’s $300,000 contest to bear more than a passing resemblance to the Nov. 7 Gold Final at Windsor Raceway when he moved Peaceful Way to the front early and cruised home to a seven length victory.
“When she races in the Gold Eliminations and Finals I basically try and keep her out of trouble,” he explains. “She gets so much respect in there I usually can make the front without much of a tussle from anyone.
“Although in the Super Final, going for all that money, there might be a little more action.”
Fans can expect an action-packed battle in the sophomore trotting colt event one race later. Division leaders In Conchnito and Samuel Oaks have drawn Posts 9 and 10, while Breeders Crown runner-up Cincinnati Kid will start from Post 6.
Angus Hall son Cincinnati Kid should find Post 6 a walk in the park after the effort he put forth in the Breeders Crown. Driver Trevor Ritchie powered the colt off the gate from Post 10, sat three-wide around the first turn and then carved out the fractions before being caught in the stretch by one and a quarter lengths.
“He had the 10-hole and it was very difficult for him, he was three-wide in the first turn,” says the colt’s trainer Harald Lunde. “He impressed me very much. It was the best race ever for him.”
Cincinnati Kid has been on a roll since moving into Lunde’s barn in mid-August. In seven starts he has posted two wins and three seconds and earned $268,799 and heading into Saturday’s $300,000 battle, Campbellville resident Lunde is quietly confident in the young trotter.
“He trained good this week, every thing looks good for him,” says the veteran horseman.
From Post 9 the picture is not quite as rosy for two-time Gold Final winner In Conchnito, but driver Steve Condren notes that the King Conch son has overcome hurdles before.
“He’s handled all kinds of adversity this year. He had the 10-hole in a Sires Stakes Final at Woodbine (July 3) and he won,” says Condren. “Position matters, but it’s how much you get used up leaving.”
Like Peaceful Way, In Conchnito comes into Saturday’s Super Final off a disappointing showing in the Breeders Crown. After being in the hunt through the first three-quarters of the race the youngster faded badly in the stretch to finish 15 lengths behind the leaders in eighth.
“I just hope he can rebound from that poor showing in the Breeders Crown,” says Condren. “I think he might have been sick that night.”
Trainer Bob McIntosh of LaSalle shares ownership on In Conchnito with Dave Boyle of Bowmanville and CSX Stables of Liberty Center, OH. The consistent trotter carries a record of seven wins and five seconds from 17 starts into the Super Final, and went over the $1 million mark in career earnings with his Oct. 9 Gold Final win at Georgian Downs.
Racing gets under way at 7:40 pm at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday and the Super Finals take centre stage in Races 3 through 10. The three-year-old trotting fillies and colts will wage their last Ontario Sires Stakes battles in Races 7 and 8.