CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Mike Saftic picked up the catch drive on two-year-old pacer Twin B Legend on Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack and the Campbellville, ON resident crafted a picture perfect trip to earn the gelding his first Ontario Sires Stakes victory.

The pair was sent off from Post 3 as the fifth choice in the $170,000 Gold Final, with division leader Mystician the prohibitive favourite from Post 8. As the starting gate accelerated away from the field, both colts remained true to form, with Mystician and his catch driver Doug McNair firing out and dropping into third on the rail, while Saftic eased Twin B Legend into sixth.

Royal Will won the early foot race to the :12.4 eighth, but when it became clear that Mach It Big and Jason Brewer would not yield, driver Mario Baillargeon dropped Royal Will into second, just ahead of Mystician. Mach It Big carried his early momentum through a :26.4 quarter, but McNair was not content to sit third with his heavy favourite and had Mystician on top before the :55.4 half.

Fifth through the early going, Paul MacDonell slipped to the outside with Watermelonwine heading by the half and was immediately pursued by a trio of Mach Three sons — Twin B Legend, Some Mach Some Win and Mach Of Ballykeel. By the 1:23.3 three-quarters Watermelonwine had carved Mystician’s lead to a length and by the top of the stretch had moved past the favourite.

As the field swept off the last turn, Saftic gave Twin B Legend a clear view of the winning post and the gelding responded with a sharp finishing kick that propelled him down the stretch to a one length victory in 1:52.1.

Watermelonwine was rewarded for his work up the outside with the runner-up’s share of the rich $170,000 purse and Some Mach Some Win was two more lengths back in third. Mystician ran out of gas in the stretch and had to settle for fourth, barely holding off Mach Of Ballykeel.

Cambridge, ON resident Jack Darling owns and trains Twin B Legend, who now boasts a record of three wins and three seconds in nine starts. The victory pushed the gelding’s earnings from $29,000 to $114,000.

Twin B Legend was the second son of broodmare What An Attitude to score a Gold Final victory this week. The gelding’s Apaches Fame half-brother Twin B Warrior was victorious in the three-year-old pacing colt Gold Final at Windsor Raceway on Tuesday. A 100 per cent producer, What An Attitude also boasts $202,580 winner All Night Long and Darling’s ill-fated $260,831 winner Twin B Survivor among her progeny.

Twin B Legend will have one opportunity to defend his Gold Final title when the two-year-old pacing colts wrap up their regular season at Rideau Carleton Raceway Oct. 17 and 24.

Ontario Sires Stakes excitement continues at Mohawk Racetrack through Oct.15, with the two-year-old trotting fillies next on the calendar. The talented young trotters will battle in three $40,000 Gold Eliminations on Monday, Oct. 11, with the first division kicking off the program at 7:20 pm.

For complete results click: Mohawk Racetrack Results — Oct. 9, 2010