DUNDAS, ON — Wake Up And Drive stepped off the sharpest mile of four Gold Series Eliminations at Flamboro Downs on Wednesday afternoon.
The two-year-old trotting colt performed like a seasoned veteran, firing to the front from Post 5 and rolling steadily through fractions of :30, 1:02.3 and 1:32.4 en route to the 2:03.2 victory. Wake Up And Drive led a sweep of the top three spots by sons of Angus Hall, whose oldest offspring are making their debuts at racetracks across the province this season.
Trained and driven by Trevor Henry for owner-breeder Donna Weaver’s 1035840 Ontario Inc. of Arthur, Wake Up And Drive was sent off as the favourite by savvy Flamboro Downs fans who liked the look of his third-place finish in a June 18 qualifier at the Dundas oval. The colt hit the wire just two lengths behind a pair of freshman pacers, trotting his mile in an impressive 2:02.3.
Completing the Angus Hall sweep of the second elimination were Lucky George and Angus Scott. Co-owned and trained by Paul Shakes of Stayner Angus Scott was the veteran horseman’s second attempt at a Gold Elimination trophy. His first starter, Disturbed, posted the second fastest mile of the afternoon in Race 4.
In rein to Doug Brown, Disturbed exploded off the starting gate from Post 7 and was seven and a half lengths on top by the :30.1 opening quarter. Another son of Angus Hall, Disturbed carved out a half-mile time of 1:03.1 and a three-quarters in 1:34.2 before trotting home to the 2:04.4 victory over favourite How Is That Fair and Tyrone Burberry.
Les Fuller of Sunderland owns Disturbed, who came into Wednesday’s contest off a pair of winning qualifiers at Mohawk Racetrack and was sent off as the fans’ second choice.
Favourite Coventry captured the third elimination in a relatively sedate 2:06, reeling in pacesetter Earl Of Openwood through the final turn and pulling off to a one length victory through the stretch. Earl Of Openwood hung on for second, while E L Balance delivered a steady performance to claim the third-place finisher’s share of the $28,278 purse.
La Porte, IN based horseman Doug Ackerman bred, owns, trains and drives Mr Lavec son Coventry, who prepped for his Ontario Sires Stakes debut with a win in a two-year-old contest at Scioto Downs in Columbus, OH on June 19.
In the two-year-old trotting colt game upsets are generally the rule rather than the exception, but the only time the Flamboro fans were fooled on Wednesday was in the last elimination when heavy favourite Darkon Crown made a break heading to the halfway marker that left the door wide open for Odee Scoot to steal the victory.
With Wayne Henry in the bike for owner-breeder Ray Odorico of Limehouse, Odee Scoot was on the move well before Darkon Crown’s error. Henry shifted the colt to the outside heading for the half and sat there through the third turn before taking control heading by the three-quarters. Trotting steadily down the stretch the Super Pleasure son drew off to a one and a quarter length victory in 2:05.2. Pacesetter Jack The Second hung in for the runner-up share and B Cor Kenny rounded out the top three.
Hailing from trotting specialist Ross Henry’s barn, Odee Scoot’s pre-season resume included a solid 2:04.1 victory in a June 25 qualifier at Flamboro Downs.
The top two finishers from each elimination will return to Flamboro Downs on Wednesday, July 9 for their first shot at a $130,000 Gold Final.