Putnam Romeo was impressive in the Apaches Fame Pacing Series Final.

Putnam Romeo looked like a man among boys on this night against his fellow three-year-old colts and geldings who were Ontario-sired non-winners of C$30,000 lifetime as of October 31, 2004.

Also going a relatively big trip in his own right, Ijustdontgiveacam ($3.60, $3.10), in rein to Jack Moiseyev for trainer Bob McIntosh, bottomed out the tiny $6.10 exactor. Handled by Roger Mayotte for conditioner Bob Young and sent off at odds of 40-1, Home Run Hudson ($8.00) finished seven lengths back for the show spot and completed the $61.00 triactor. Racing at 36-1, Pavin Ice Cold (Mike Saftic) finished fourth, while Twin B Hold (Chris Christoforou), who was sent off at 75-1, was fifth.

“He’s really developed into a nice colt and he has finally figured out how to get the job done,” MacDonell said about Putnam Romeo afterwards. “He’s now won four in a row and that is a big start for him.”

Campaigned by conditioner Scott McEneny for the Putnam Training Centre, Jamie Bardoel and Martin and Alex Hossack, Putnam Romeo got away fifth off the wings, as Berts Casey (Mario Baillargeon) scampered to the first call in :27.2. Briefly sitting five lengths off the tempo, MacDonell pulled on the son of Grinfromeartoear early in the second panel, displaying a strong brush up the backside.

Racing overland as he tripped the half-mile timer in :55.4, Putnam Romeo cleared shortly after. Also racing on the second tier in the second quarter, Ijustdontgiveacam was making a bid for the front, but had a good chunk of distance to make up.

Now with $52,219 in earnings and a 4-2-2 record after nine starts, Putnam Romeo passed the three-quarter pole in 1:24.1 and was well in hand for his jaunt to the wire.

“We’ve had a little bit of trouble behind the gate with him all along,” MacDonell said of Putnam Romeo, a bay colt who was unraced at two and is out of the Fundamentalist mare Worth The Win. “In early schooling races with him back at Mohawk in the wintertime he was no good behind the gate. It took a lot of patience by Scott and he got him straightened away -– and now here we are.

“There were some equipment adjustments that (Scott) had to make. Also, he was schooled about four or five times before he really learned what was going on.”

An open length victor in both of his Apaches Fame prelims, Putnam Romeo easily swept this series, and it seems like all of his time learning the ropes behind the gate in Campbellville has paid off in full.

M T Freedom will be looking to sweep the Damsel Series with a victory in the final on Sunday.

Looking to sweep the series, M T Freedom (post one, Keith Oliver, 3-1) is set to face a very capable group, which includes Respectednbeloved (post seven, Steve Condren, 2-1), Amethyst (post eight, Mario Baillargeon, 5-1), Noble Sami (post two, Chris Christoforou, 7-1) and Heavenly Sign (post four, Rick Zeron, 8-1).

An admirable three-year-old last year, M T Freedom raced to a 10-2-4 record and $74,264 in purses on the campaign from 21 starts.

“She started off a little slow last year,” said Companion, who along with his wife, Anje, comprise the M T Freedom’s ownership contingent, the Common Sense Stable of Rockwood, Ontario. “I bought her as a two-year-old in Quebec. She had some growing issues, so we turned her out for her two-year-old year. (At three) we started her in April and brought her up to Georgian Downs and started her program really slow.

“She had a few starts up there and then we brought her to Mohawk for her first win. I decided afterwards to try the (O.S.S.) Grassroots with her. She entered all of the Grassroots and she won them all, except the final (on October 23 at Georgian Downs), where she got boxed in.”

Entering Sunday’s tilt sporting a 4-1-0 record and $55,085 in earnings from six starts this season, M T Freedom showed Companion signs early this year that she may just be more than a run of the mill performer.

Subsequently, Companion hasn’t at all been surprised about the mare’s campaign to date.

“No, not a bit. The first time I schooled this mare off the gate she went in (2:02) off a half in (1:05) and when I pulled up I knew right then that she was special; I knew she was a lot better than I thought she was,” Companion explained. “She had come that last half in :57 and she did it without breaking a sweat -– she was just phenomenal.”

Under the tutelage of reinsman Keith Oliver, M T Freedom has been spotted near or on the engine in her pair of preliminary Damsel victories. Closing from just slightly off the pace in the lane during last week’s second leg, the mare went on to stop the timer in 1:52.1 for a new life’s mark.

“She likes the big track,” Companion noted of the career winner of 14 dashes and $129,349 in purses. “She can leave, but she prefers to race from off the pace. But either way, it doesn’t really matter to her.

“I think that she is coming in in top form right now. Hopefully I have managed her right and we have some racing luck on Sunday. She’s seemed very well all week. She’s come out of her elims very well. There hasn’t been any problems with her at all. She’s got a very good set of lungs on her and she wears very little equipment.”

Companion also added that he has very consciously tried to manage the horse quite well throughout her career and that he decided against putting her into the O.S.S. Gold level last year to hopefully turn out a decent racehorse.

“We’ve got her paid up to the Milton, the Roses Are Red and the Breeders Crown,” noted Companion, referring to high-end stakes which may just be on M T Freedom’s dance card. “We’re dreaming, but from what she has shown us, my wife and I think that she’ll be a top mare one day and hopefully things will work out.”

But yet again, first things first.

“They are all a nice bunch of mares,” Companion said, commenting on the field for Sunday’s conclusion of the Damsel. “It is going to be a very competitive race. The eliminations worked out well for everybody -– all of the good mares made it to the final. There weren’t any mix-ups in the elims and they were fair.

“Everybody who was supposed to be (in the final) are there and it is going to be a very good race.”

PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Line
1 – M T Freedom – K. Oliver – W. Companion – 3-1
2 – Noble Sami – C. Christoforou – C. Christoforou – 7-1
3 – Retsina – R. Mayotte – C. Christoforou – 20-1
4 – Heavenly Sign – R. Zeron – N. Varty – 8-1
5 – Croquette Hanover – M. Saftic – J. Kopas – 10-1
6 – Early Dismissal – L. Ouellette – K. McMaster – 15-1
7 – Respectednbeloved – S. Condren – B. Robinson – 2-1
8 – Amethyst – M. Baillargeon – K. Sheppard – 5-1
9 – Converging Spirit – Ph. Hudon – R. Atkin – 12-1
10 – Apache Dame – P. MacDonell – H. Stead – 10-1
AE1 – Miss Brit – M. Saftic – R. McNair – 20-1

NOTE: All horse will be performing out of the Retention Barn

War Paint to debut on Sunday

War Paint, the tenacious six-year-old son of Malabar Man, is set to make his 2005 debut this Sunday afternoon at Woodbine, as he has drawn post position seven in the C$50,000 Open Trot (race eight, 3:33 p.m.).

WEG Photos

War Paint is favored in his 2005 debut.

To be driven by Paul MacDonell for trainer Dave Tingley, War Paint has received the 2-1 nod in the morning line.

A career winner of 15 races and $295,677 in purses, War Paint will reportedly soon be putting in some miles over Norwegian ovals, including an appearance in the Oslo Grand Prix on May 15.

Out of the Uptown mare Showshone Kash, War Paint won his first seven career starts in 2003 and last year recorded the biggest win of his career down at the Meadowlands. With John Campbell in the bike, War Paint was thoroughly convincing in the $180,000 Cutler Memorial last May 15 and rolled to an open length victory in a life’s mark of 1:53.

Owned by Joseph and Barbara Myers and Peter and Murray Goldberg, War Paint will face a field of 10 Sunday.

The complete field for War Paint’s debut is as follows:

PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Line
1 – Just A Lad – R. Zeron – A. Montini – 8-1
2 – Our Man Josh – M. Saftic – T. O’Sullivan – 15-1
3 – Wide Angle Hanover – J. Jamieson – P. Wellwood – 10-1
4 – Treasure Hunt – Ma. MacDonald – M. Houck – 12-1
5 – Henninger T – Ph. Hudon – H. Poulton – 15-1
6 – JM Vangogh – Ro. Waples – Ro. Waples – 5-2
7 – War Paint – P. MacDonell – D. Tingley – 2-1
8 – Chip Dot Com – L. Ouellette – R. Moreau – 8-1
9 – Abbey Road C – K. Jones – K. Jones – 6-1
10 – Lesterstrikesagain – C. Christoforou – G. Lalonde – 12-1