CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Was It A Dream and Paul MacDonell cruised to their fourth straight victory Monday night at Mohawk Racetrack, posting the fastest mile of three Gold Series Eliminations.
MacDonell sent the two-year-old trotting colt to the front from Post 4 and Was It A Dream sailed around the Campbellville oval to a four length victory in 1:58.4. Campbell Hall picked up the runner-up’s share of the $34,455 purse and long shot Breaking Benjamin took full advantage of errors by favourite Dr Robert Johns and former Gold Final winner Majestic Son to claim the third-place cheque.
Paula Wellwood trains Was It A Dream for Guelph resident MacDonell and Wellwood Stables Inc. of Cambridge. The Striking Sahbra son has been flawless through the month of September, scoring wins in his Champlain division and the elimination and final of the inaugural William Wellwood Stake, named in honour of Paula Wellwood’s father.
The $47,000 US yearling started his Ontario Sires Stakes season with a win in the Grassroots program, then moved up to the Gold Series for the July 22 event at Grand River Raceway, where he made an early break and had to settle for fifth-place. A runner-up finish in an overnight served as preparation for a second attempt at the Gold Series and Was It A Dream delivered a pair of third-place finishes in the elimination and final at Rideau Carleton Raceway before kicking off his current hot streak.
The talented young trotter will benefit from Post 2 in next week’s $130,000 Gold Final.
B Cor Rennegade picked up his second straight victory and his second Gold Elimination trophy with a come-from-behind effort in the second elimination. The CR Renegade son and driver Jack Moiseyev sprinted around the final turn and down the stretch to secure a half length victory over pacesetter Chosen Voyageur in 1:59.2. Broadway Seelster trailed home four lengths behind in third.
Trained by Guelph resident Garth Gordon for his partners Jean Brechkow of Amherstburg, Bobby Brown of Kingsville and James Walker of Port Perry, B Cor Rennegade has returned to his early season form in his last three starts. An elimination winner in the season opening Gold event, and a close second in the July 12 Final, the colt struggled through the next two provincial events, finishing sixth and failing to qualify for the final.
However, a third-place finish in Glidemaster’s track record mile on Aug. 30, a 1:57.1 victory in his Sept. 5 Champlain division and Monday night’s elimination win have boosted the colt back into contention for next Monday’s Gold Final, where he will start from Post 5.
The other elimination went to first time Gold Series starter Joey The Jet JT who reeled in pacesetter Brylin Lavec down the stretch to record the 2:00.4 victory. Brylin Lavec earned the runner-up’s share of the provincial pie when Yorktown Gunner was placed back to third for cutting inside a pylon during the race, while fourth-place finisher To The Victor earned a berth in next week’s Gold Final by luck of the draw.
Joey The Jet JT was making just his second lifetime start for trainer Edward Hayter of Dundas and his partners, the colt’s breeders, Neil Markowski of Toronto and Leisha Collins of Port Robinson. The Wesgate Crown son debuted in the Grassroots season opener on July 14, missed the second Grassroots event due to sickness and then earned his way into Monday’s Gold Elimination with a smart 2:02.3 qualifying win at Mohawk on Sept. 20.
Chris Christoforou engineered Joey The Jet JT’s victory and the pair will take a run at a Gold Final trophy from Post 1 in next week’s $130,000 Gold Final.
The complete list of post positions for the Monday, Oct. 3 Gold Final at Mohawk Racetrack is as follows:
Post 1 Joey The Jet JT
Post 2 Was It A Dream
Post 3 Chosen Voyageur
Post 4 To The Victor
Post 5 B Cor Rennegade
Post 6 Yorktown Gunner
Post 7 Campbell Hall
Post 8 Breaking Benjamin
Post 9 Brylin Lavec
Post 10 Broadway Seelster
AE1 Lord Valentine
AE2 Upfront Navigator
AE3 Pass And Strike
For complete results please go to:
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rmohsmo.html