With the advantageous Post 1 in the second $40,000 contest, Mets Inn will be aiming to pick up a second Gold Elimination trophy. The consistent young trotter has only missed two cheques through her 14-race sophomore campaign, but she has been unable to find her way back to the winner's circle since a win in the May 10 Gold Series season opener.
"She's quietly amassed a lot of money," notes trainer John Bax. "She's maybe not the best, but she's competitive."
Mets Inn has been hampered by post position in her last two added money starts, landing Mohawk Racetrack's outside Post 10 in the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association Final on Aug. 21, and in the Aug. 7 Gold Final. Bax is hoping the improved post for Friday's event and the filly's natural ability will boost her chances of scoring a second career victory.
"She's handy. She's kind of got one real good move," says Bax, who conditions Mets Inn for breeder Winbak Farms of Chesapeake City, MD. "And she's not too rammy, she'll do what you want."
Unraced at two, Mets Inn learned her early lessons in Georgia and shipped north to Bax's Peterborough farm in April. The trainer says the leggy filly was race ready when she arrived and has been a low maintenance addition to his string of talented trotters.
"She was ready made when I got her," recalls the trainer. "All I had to do was throw the harness on. I didn't have to change anything, just go."
The horseman was also impressed with the filly's pedigree. By Winbak sire Mutineer ($566,191), Mets Inn is the second foal from Mets Rival, a half-sister to current sophomore trotting sensation Muscle Hill ($1,832,542).
"She's got a pretty good maternal side to her pedigree," notes the trotting specialist. "And I have to admit they (Mutineer offspring) are well mannered, and they seem to have a little go to them."
Stephen Byron will steer Mets Inn in Friday's elimination, and the pair face off against a talented field which includes two former Gold Final winners. Reigning Gold Final champion Cuddler starts from Post 5 for trainer Murray Brethour and driver Mario Baillargeon, while Mystic River, who captured the first Gold Final of the season, starts from Post 3. Jason Brewer will steer Mystic River for trainer Kevin O'Reilly.
O'Reilly will harness a total of three fillies in Friday's Gold Elimination showdown. In addition to Mystic River, the Moffat resident will send Singin Moe out in the second elimination. Singin Moe makes the leap from Grassroots to Gold competition from Post 4. In the first elimination O'Reilly will be looking for a strong performance from Warrawee Kava, who gets Post 5 in the six filly field. Warrawee Kava and driver Michael Langdon face off against reigning division champion Elusive Desire, who is fresh off a four length, 1:54.1 romp in the SBOA Final and will start from Post 4.
Ontario's gifted three-year-old trotting fillies will open Grand River Raceway's Friday evening program at 6:31 pm in Races 1 and 2. The top four finishers from each Gold Elimination will return to the Elora oval on Friday, Sept. 4 for the second last $130,000 Gold Final on their sophomore schedule.