Mission Brief wins; next up Elegantimage final
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Following the race, Gingras said Mission Brief was a bit fired up Friday evening and he was trying to stretch her out for her first start in three-weeks.
"She was a little bit grabby in the post parade, so when she got off on the right foot I figured I would just let her go,” he said. "I just wanted to stretch her out, like I said she was a little bit too sharp and try to get the edge off of her a little bit.
"She hasn't raced that many times this year, so it was not like it was going to hurt her. The plugs were still in and she had plenty left and it was just a matter of trying to get her tight for next week.”
Mission Brief has now won six of eight starts this season, including a heat of the Hambletonian. Burke added trotting hopples to his star filly in July to help her with some issues, but it appears they may not be need for much longer.
"She's safe now, she's comfortable and she's confident and she's sound,” said Gingras. "After next week the plan is to take them off and then go to Lexington, but we will see how it goes.”
Mission Brief is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Our Horse Cents Stable, J And T Silva Stables LLC., and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Friday night's win was the 15th career victory for the winner of over $1.1 million. Mission Brief paid $2.10 to win.
Trained by Tony O'Sullivan, Muscle Baby Doll has dominated the Ontario Sires Stakes scene this season and also has a Grand Circuit victory on her resume. The daughter of Muscle Mass now has eight wins from nine starts this season and 12 victories overall. Muscle Baby Doll was purchased by F Bellino And Sons LLC., early in her two-year-old season, as she raced on the Iowa fair circuit. Muscle Baby Doll career earnings now exceed $400,000. She paid $5.20 to win.
A group of 14 two-year-old trotting colts and geldings were separated into two $30,000 eliminations for the William Wellwood Memorial. In the first division, Deep Impact prevailed in a stretch duel over the 4/5 favourite Brooklyn Hill.
A son of Donato Hanover, Deep Impact scored his third career victory Friday evening for trainer Brad Maxwell. The rookie trotter was making his fifth start and increased his earnings to over $41,000 with the win. Deep Impact is owned by Maxwell, Van Camp Trotting Corp., Tim Murray and Doug Millard. The Maxwell trainee paid $7 to win.
Southwind Frank extended his win streak to six in a row with a 1:56.3 victory in the second split. Sent off as the 1/9 favourite, Southwind Frank and driver Gingras got away in the three-hole. The heavy-favorite sat third until the half-mile when Gingras sent him on the attack. Southwind Frank quickly cleared to the front and trotted by the three-quarter pole in 1:28.1. Marion Marauder and driver John Campbell trotted up with a rush around the final turn to draw within half a length turning for home.
In the stretch, Marion Marauder was able to poke a head in front with an eighth of a mile to go, but Southwind Frank showed his talent by battling back under minimal urging from Gingras to retake the lead and score a length and a half victory.
Adored By Masses finished almost 14 lengths behind the winner in third, while Im A Mate and Zlatan finished fourth and fifth to advance to the final.
A son of Muscle Hill, Southwind Frank now sports a record of seven wins from eight starts to begin his career for trainer Ron Burke. The rookie trotting colt now has earnings of over $327,000. Southwind Frank is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Our Horse Cents Stable and J And T Silva Stables LLC. The Burke trainee paid $2.10 to win.
Following Friday night's eliminations, the post positions for next week's $370,000 William Wellwood Memorial final and $404,000 Elegantimage Stakes final were drawn. Elimination winners earned the right to select their post positions. Both finals will highlight a spectacular undercard on Maple Leaf Trot and Canadian Trotting Classic night Saturday, September 19.
Here are the post positions for next week's final.
$404,000 Elegantimage Stakes Final
$370,000 William Wellwood Memorial Final