by Sandra Snyder

Campbellville, ON — Just hours after her big brother captured his Confederation Cup elimination and finished third in the final, 2-year-old pacing filly Bay Girl delivered an outstanding come from behind effort to capture the C$130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final on Sunday (August 16) at Mohawk Racetrack.

Starting from post four with Mario Baillargeon in the race bike, Bay Girl coasted away from the starting gate and was sitting seventh on the rail when reigning Gold Final champion Tiz To Dream roared by the opening quarter in :27. By the :56.2 half there was a long line-up of fillies marching up the outside, led by fan favorite Western Silk, and Bay Girl had angled from her seventh-place position off the rail and into the flow.

Western Silk took command of the race before the 1:24 three-quarters, but when the field straightened out for home it was clear the favorite was in trouble. Stampeding down the stretch, Bay Girl’s :27.2 final quarter propelled her to a one length victory over Precious Cammill and Tiz To Dream. Western Silk had to settle for fourth.

Bay Girl stopped the Mohawk teletimer at 1:52.2, just two-fifths of a second shy of the Ontario Sires Stakes record held by Chancey Lady.

Sunday’s victory was the second straight for Bay Girl, who also captured her elimination last weekend with an off the pace effort in 1:53.4. Ben Wallace conditions the daughter of Royal Mattjesty and Whitley Bay for Michael, Sam and Pat Sergi. The young pacer made her Ontario Sires Stakes debut at the Grassroots level on July 18, finishing second in a 1:57.1 mile at Kawartha Downs, then finished third in an overnight at Mohawk before capturing last week’s elimination.

The Sergis acquired Bay Girl for a mere C$7,000 at last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale, and have already recouped C$93,040 through the filly’s first four starts.

Offspring from 100 percent producer Whitley Bay have been a sound investment for the Sergis, who acquired the filly’s 3-year-old brother Bay Of Sharks for just $5,000 and have watched the Cam’s Card Shark colt bank over C$200,000 in earnings through his career to date. Wallace trains Bay Of Sharks, and Baillargeon guided him through the two-heat Confederation Cup battle at Flamboro Downs on Sunday afternoon.

Bay Girl will have her first opportunity to defend her Gold Final title at Flamboro Downs, with eliminations slated for Sept. 17 and the Gold Final going postward on Sept. 24. Gold elimination action returns to Mohawk Racetrack next Sunday, Aug. 23, as the 2-year-old trotting colts kick off their third provincial event.