WINDSOR, ON — Trainer Jeff Gillis had a successful evening at the races on Tuesday night, harnessing the top two finishers in the $130,000 Gold Final for three-year-old pacing colts.
The Hillsburgh, ON resident sent Twin B Warrior after his second straight victory from Post 2 and Code Word after his second of the season from Post 1. Windsor Raceway fans liked Twin B Warrior’s chances, making him their second choice behind reigning Gold Final champion Mach Dreamer, but were not as confident in Code Word, making him the second longest shot on the board.
When the starting gate pulled away from the field of three-year-old pacing colts Red Bugler and Stonebridge Tonic sprinted away from the centre of the gate, but they were caught before the :26.2 opening quarter by Big Bay Point. Big Bay Point rolled along to a :54.1 half and a 1:22 three-quarters while the favourites loitered at the back of the pack.
Future Million stepped to the outside at the halfway marker and attempted to lead a charge up the outside, but heading for the three-quarters it became clear that he would not achieve his goal, so driver Chris Christoforou sent Code Word out three wide and was quickly joined by Twin B Warrior and Dalhousie Dave. Mach Dreamer stunned his legions of fans by skipping off stride briefly, allowing a gap to open between him and the field.
Sweeping around the final turn the field raced three abreast, and while Big Bay Point had a short lead at the top of the stretch it was soon clear that the winner would come from off the pace. Driver Randy Waples tipped Twin B Warrior out from behind his stablemate and hit the accelerator and the pacer responded with a sharp finishing kick that saw him pace under the wire in 1:50.3 and into the Gold Final winner’s circle for the first time in his career.
Code Word stayed game for second, and Mach Dreamer laid down the fastest last quarter, but could get no closer than third after his mid-race miscue. Pacesetter Big Bay Point settled for fourth, with Dalhousie Dave rounding out the money earners.
Gillis conditions Twin B Warrior for Mac Nichol of Burlington, ON, who has accumulated three Gold Final trophies within the last 10 days. Tuesday’s victory was the Apaches Fame son’s third this season through 15 starts and boosts his lifetime earnings to $410,981. The 1:50.3 mile was also a personal best for the gelding, who was a Grassroots Champion at two.
While Twin B Warrior has been a consistent player on the sophomore pacing colt circuit this summer — scoring six seconds and two thirds — prior to last week’s Gold Elimination win in Windsor, the gelding had not visited the winner’s circle since capturing his Upper Canada Cup Elimination at Georgian Downs on May 22.
Twin B Warrior will have one opportunity to defend his Gold Final title, in the Oct. 30 Gold Eliminations and Nov. 6 final at Western Fair Raceway, before turning his attention to the season ending Super Final. The top 10 regular season point earners square off in the Nov. 13 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack, and Twin B Warrior has already secured his berth with 187 points earned through the first four Gold Series events.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement continues to build at Windsor Raceway, as the five-eighths oval rolls out the red carpet for the two-year-old pacing colts on Wednesday, Oct. 6. The freshman pacing colts will battle in three $24,000 Grassroots divisions on Wednesday, with the first race going postward at 7 pm.
For complete results please go to: Windsor Raceway Results — Oct. 5, 2010