by Greg Gangle, WEG media

Toronto, ON — Miss Paris and Circles would not disappoint the betting public on Thursday evening (Oct. 6) at Woodbine as they cruised to victory as the odds-on choice in their respective C$40,000 OSS Gold eliminations for 2-year-old trotting fillies.

Fresh off her C$130,000 OSS Gold final victory in her most recent outing at Rideau Carleton, Miss Paris returned to the winner’s circle in the first elimination.

New Image Media photo

Miss Paris won her Gold elimination in a time of 1:57.3.

The regally-bred daughter of Kadabra-Pizza Dolce settled away in third in the early going as Frisky Strike (Jim Morrill, Jr.) was parked out on the lead at the opening panel in :28.2 with Twin B Sensation (Steve Byron) on the inside.

Frisky Strike would be released to the lead, but driver Scott Zeron moved Miss Paris to the front from third before the midway point in :58.4.

Miss Paris cruised past three-quarters in 1:29 and faced no challengers down the stretch as she cruised to her third straight victory, stopping the timer in 1:57.3. Racing Dreams (Anthony MacDonald) came from off the pace to finish second with Frisky Strike completing the triactor.

“This is the best she has ever been,” Zeron said following the win. “’Nifty’ (trainer Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman) made a few equipment changes and she finally put it all together tonight. She would run out down the stretch into the four-wide path and would be tough to drive, but not tonight. She has been getting better and better lately with every start. Right now, I wouldn’t trade her for any other Ontario-sired 2-year-old trotting filly.”

Miss Paris increased her freshman earnings to C$221,437 for trainer Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman and owners Melvin Hartman, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee. The brown filly now boasts a record of 5-2-1 from 10 freshman starts.

In the second elimination, Hall of Famer Jacques Hebert guided Circles to her sixth win this season.

The daughter of Majestic Son-Merles Image tucked away in second in the early stages as Counter Pointe (Wayne Henry) took her nine rivals past the opening station in :27.4.

Hebert was quickly on the move as Circles cleared to the lead past the half in :58. Counter Pointe was now in the pocket with Cool Creek Breeze (Mario Baillargeon) sitting third as Circles passed three-quarters in 1:27.4.

Circles would face minimal urging in deep stretch from Hebert as she equaled her life’s best clocking of 1:57. Counter Pointe would stay for second over Cool Creek Breeze.

Owned and trained by John Smith, Circles lifted her freshman earnings to C$262,500. She paid $3.10 for the victory.

The field will line up as follows for next Thursday’s C$130,000 Gold final: 1. Circles, 2. Racing Dreams 3. Frisky Strike, 4. Counter Pointe, 5. Cool Creek Breeze, 6. Justasmalltowngirl, 7. Miss Paris, 8. Radical Dreamer, 9. Twin B Sensation and 10. Phoenix Goal. AE: Kandian Klub.

Field set for OSS 3FP

The field for the next Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final for 3-year-old pacing fillies was drawn Thursday evening at Woodbine Racetrack.

No eliminations were required on Thursday as just seven of Ontario’s top sophomore pacers were entered into the OSS Gold event.

All seven pacers will automatically advance to the C170,000 final, which is slated for Thursday, Oct. 13.

Here’s the field: 1. Monkey On My Wheel, 2. Modern Connection, 3. Imagine Semalu, 4. Camille, 5. Waasmula, 6. Athenas Legacy and 7. Patsys Luck.