by Ashley Mayotte, WEG communications

Toronto, ON — The Erv Miller-trained Apogee Hanover, who captured last week’s lone elimination, romped in the C$130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Friday night (Oct. 14) at Woodbine Racetrack.

The trip to the winner’s circle also gave driver Scott Zeron his third straight OSS Gold Final victory. The Oakville resident also captured two Gold events Thursday evening at the Rexdale oval.

Apogee Hanover scored in 1:54.3 as the 4-5 favorite.

Apogee Hanover maintained at least a two length lead while putting up splits of :27.3, :55.3 and 1:23.1. The 4-5 favorite stopped the teletimer in 1:54.3, 2-1/4 lengths ahead of Legal Entity (Luc Ouellette). Mindsweeper (Jody Jamieson) finished third.

“The past two starts (Erv) told me to just kind of get her up on the bit and make sure she is leaving off the gate and you have her attention because I’ve made breaks with her by babying her, so I was aggressive and made the front,” explained Zeron, following the triumph. “Turns out I got her too fired up leaving so she didn’t really relax for me, but when you’re two seconds the best, they can go fast to the half and still win.”

Zeron admits he didn’t know how close the rest of the field was as he neared the wire.

“For us as drivers when it’s this windy you can’t really hear too much behind you and I don’t like to look over my shoulder and show the other guys that maybe my horse might be getting weak,” he said. “I never looked over and I drove mine right through the wire.”

The daughter of Jereme’s Jet-Aurora Seelster, who captured her second Gold Final trophy, has a record of 4-1-1 in 10 starts and lifetime earnings of C$197,200 for owner Roger Hammer.

Apogee Hanover paid $3.60 to win.

The Game Plan scored an 8-1/2 length victory in the C$130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings. As the 3-5 favorite, The Game Plan picked up his second Gold Final trophy for trainer John Kopas and driver Jack Moiseyev.

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The Game Plan romped by 8-1/2 lengths in a time of 1:57.3.

Il Mago (Trevor Ritchie) was the early leader past a :28.2 opening panel. The Game Plan made a bid for the lead from fourth and cleared to the front before the half in :58.4.

The pair held command as they hit the three-quarter marker in 1:28.2 and then opened up on the field as they entered the stretch. The Game Plan got under the wire in 1:57.3. Heres The Magic (Scott Zeron) finished second and Victim Of Changes (Jody Jamieson) rounded out the triactor.

“You never know what to expect in the wind with 2-year-old trotters,” Moiseyev said after the win. “I got away fourth and I moved him after a slow first quarter and he swelled right up and made the front.”

The Moffat resident feels The Game Plan is getting more intelligent.

“I just told Johnny (John Kopas) that he is getting smarter,” said Moiseyev. “He used to be a little bully and now he is two fingers. Those Kadabras are pretty smart.”

The son of Kadabra-Image Control, who captured his elimination, has won eight races in 11 lifetime starts, including the William Wellwood Memorial Trot. The gelding now boasts C$485,300 in career earnings for Kopas, LLK Stable, Gary Grieve and Anthony Wagner.

The Game Plan paid $3.30 to win.