CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Twin B Legend cruised to a new personal best in Gold Series Elimination action at Mohawk Racetrack on Saturday evening.
The three-year-old pacing gelding and driver Paul MacDonell sailed off the starting gate into third spot as Celebrity Citation hit the opening eighth in :13 and the quarter in :26.4. When the pacesetter skipped off-stride, Machal Jackson took over, ringing up a :55.2 half, and looking over his shoulder at fan favourite Twin B Legend gearing up on the outside.
Twin B Legend reached the front effortlessly and led by two lengths at the 1:22.2 three-quarters. Although Mystician attempted a late rally, Twin B Legend sailed comfortably under the wire one and three-quarter lengths ahead of the fan’s second choice. Celebrity Citation recovered his footing in time to sprint down the stretch into third, catching Machal Jackson and Mach Of Ballykeel.
The 1:49.4 clocking was a new personal best for Twin B Legend, who won his Canadian Breeders Championship Elimination at Mohawk Racetrack on July 16 and was barely bested in the July 23 final. Through six starts this season the Mach Three son boasts a record of three wins and one second, adding $86,363 to the $127,650 he banked last season for owner and trainer Jack Darling of Cambridge.
Twin B Legend and Guelph resident MacDonell will take a shot at next week’s $130,000 Gold Final from Post 1.
Fan favourite Prodigal Seelster also delivered in the second $40,000 Gold Elimination, scoring a 1:50.4 victory.
Starting from Post 6, driver Scott Zeron had Prodigal Seelster on the move early and the Camluck colt skirmished for the early lead with Cam B Zipper. Cam B Zipper posted the :12.3 opening eighth, but handed off to Prodigal Seelster for the :26.3 quarter. When Bullet Speed loomed up on the outside, Zeron opted for a pocket trip, and Bullet Speed marched the field on to a :54.3 half and a 1:23.3 three-quarters.
Swinging off the turn, Oakville resident Zeron pointed Prodigal Seelster at the winner’s circle and the colt responded with a sharp finishing kick that propelled him under the wire half a length ahead of Bullet Speed.
Cam B Zipper held on for third ahead of Drain Daddy, and Twin B Legend’s stablemate Thats The Life rounded out the qualifiers for the Aug. 6 Gold Final.
The win was the second this season for Prodigal Seelster, last year’s Super Final champion. Through eight starts the colt also has one second and two thirds for earnings of $121,022, giving him a two season total of $600,477. Dave Menary conditions Prodigal Seelster for his father Larry Menary of Cheltenham, Denis Breton of Welland, Kenneth Ewen of Georgetown and Double Or Nothing Stables of Hamilton.
Prodigal Seelster will line up right beside Twin B Legend for next week’s Gold Final, getting Post 2 in the $130,000 skirmish. The complete line up for the second Gold Final of the season is as follows:
$130,000 Gold Series Final — Aug. 6 at Mohawk Racetrack
Post 1 Twin B Legend
Post 2 Prodigal Seelster
Post 3 Thats The Life
Post 4 Celebrity Citation
Post 5 Mach Of Ballykeel
Post 6 Mystician
Post 7 Machal Jackson
Post 8 Cam B Zipper
Post 9 Drain Daddy
Post 10 Bullet Speed
Also Eligible Calgary Seelster
For complete results please go to: Mohawk Racetrack Results — July 30, 2011