Small colt takes OSS Gold

The small-but-mighty Doonbeg carried off his second Gold final trophy of the season with another exceptional performance at Mohawk Racetrack on Sunday evening.

Leaving from Post one the colt and driver Jody Jamieson landed in seventh, 10 lengths behind early pacesetter Windsong Cruiser as he hit the quarter in :26.2. Heading for the :54 half Jamieson sent Doonbeg up the outside behind Stormaway and by the 1:22 three-quarters the diminutive pacer was just four lengths behind leader Mr. Feelgood.

As the colts made the turn for home Doonbeg was 3 1/2 lengths back, but Jamieson had yet to kick the pacer into high gear. With the trademark rush that has earned him a legion of loyal fans, Doonbeg fired down the stretch to a one-length victory over Mr. Feelgood in 1:50.2. Eagle Luck closed hard to claim the third-place finisher’s spoils.

”They do a lot of work early in this division. He got towed into it tonight,” said Jamieson from the winner’s circle. “Friday (Dean) has done a great job with this colt all season.”

James “Friday” Dean trains Doonbeg for breeders Clay Harland Horner and Scott Horner of Toronto and Torlando Farms Inc. of Orlando, Fla. Sunday’s win marked the Camluck son’s sixth visit to the winner’s circle in 10 starts and boosted his sophomore earnings to $319,213 (C).

With another Gold final title wrapped up, Dean will now turn his attention to the Sept. 21 Little Brown Jug at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Delaware, Ohio. Contested in heats over a half-mile track, the Little Brown Jug is the equivalent of a sophomore pacer’s Holy Grail.

”The trip to Delaware is going to depend on the draw. If he draws well, he should do well,” says Dean. “He’s a tiny guy that tries his heart out every time.”

The Little Brown Jug will be Doonbeg’s fourth test against the top colts in North America. The colt recorded a third-place finish in his Burlington Stakes division at Woodbine Racetrack on June 3, captured his Pepsi North America Cup elimination on June 10 and then made a heart-rending break at the start of the $1.5-million Pepsi North America Cup Final one week later.

Following the Little Brown Jug, Doonbeg will have one more opportunity to defend his Gold final title when the 3-year-old pacing colts wrap up their regular season on Sept. 30 at Mohawk Racetrack. With 150 points the colt has already guaranteed himself a spot in the season ending $300,000 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack on Oct. 14. (OSS)

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