Goudawon pulled off a 40-1 shocker as she swept from last to first in the $157,200 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold division for three-year-old pacing fillies on Friday night (July 8) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Bob McClure worked out the winning trip aboard the homebred Betterthancheddar-Keystone Samurai filly in the second leg of the Gold Series for trainer Murray Brethour and owners Brenda & Mark Lane of Roseneath, Ont. and Anthony Lane of Norwood, Ont.
Speaker Nancy (Trevor Henry) got the first call firing off the gate from post six with Silver Label (Doug McNair) leaving to her outside and tucking into the two-hole ahead of Got The Gold (Jody Jamieson) through a :26.4 quarter.
Balance (Austin Sorrie) then rushed up from fourth on the way to the :56.3 half and cleared to command leaving Love That Smile (Louis-Philippe Roy) first-up with O'Brien Award winner Prohibition Legal, the even-money favourite, in the hunt second-over while In The Mood, and OSS record-setting Gold winner in the opening round last month at Mohawk, was on her back towards the rear of the field.
As Balance approached three-quarters in 1:23.3, Speaker Nancy popped the pocket and Prohibition Legal launched off cover as they turned for home. However, it was Goudawon angling out and closing widest off all from the back of the pack to steal the spotlight in a blanket finish, prevailing by a neck in a 1:51.1 career-best clocking. Balance held on for second while Got The Gold shot through inside and edged out Prohibition Legal in a photo for show.
"It just feels fantastic," said owner/breeder Brenda Lane, who foaled the filly and was joined by family in the winner's circle to celebrate the stakes success. "I'm really at a lost for words and that's not me."
Riding three straight victories in a lower condition for Grassroots starters, Goudawon converted her winning momentum into the Gold upset and returned $83.80 to her backers.
"I just wanted to use her as little as possible the whole way, cut both turns," said McClure of his strategy. "If I could salvage a fifth, I thought I could get them their entry money back. I know they wanted to try a Gold and they ended up unlucky; they got a heavyweight division with just eight horses. It worked out really well and at the head of the lane, she had a ton of go. We got out off of Prohibition Legal's back and she just kicked home great."
Goudawon, who was an OSS Grassroots winner on May 27 at The Raceway at Western Fair District, is now five-for-10 this year.
The three-year-old pacing fillies will meet up again at Grand River Raceway for their next Gold assignment on August 1.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.