by Ashley Mayotte, WEG Communications

Toronto, ON — P L Fighter, driven by Chris Christoforou, got up in the final strides to upset heavily favored Autumn Gottem in the C$60,000 Autumn Stakes final on Saturday night (Dec. 1) at Woodbine.

The 3-year-old pacing gelding drew into the final off the also eligible list when St Lads Zoom Zoom was scratched.

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P L Fighter was a 1:52 winner in the Autumn Stakes final.

P L Fighter, who was sent off at odds of 16-1, got away eighth and followed behind fractions of :25.4, put up by Winbak Carl (Anthony MacDonald), and :55.4 and 1:23.2, clocked by elimination winner Autumn Gottem (Doug McNair).

At the three-quarter pole, P L Fighter was still back in eighth, 10-1/2 lengths off the lead. The gelding then unleashed a :26.3 final frame to steal the glory by one length in a new mark of 1:52. The 1-5 favorite, Autumn Gottem, stayed for second and Pass The Deuce (Jody Jamieson) got up for third.

“He’s a horse that has a lot of quick step, but only for a piece,” said trainer Jeffrey Books from the winner’s circle. “Sometimes if it’s used a little too early, it kind of gets to him at the end, but tonight it was timed perfectly by Chris (driver Christoforou). It was a great win.”

The brown son of Jereme’s Jet-Go Wilma Go, who was unraced as a 2-year-old, has a lifetime record of 4-4-2 from 23 starts and career earnings of C$77,000 for owner/breeder Prince Lee Acres. P L Fighter returned $35.20 to win.

This division of the Autumn was for Ontario-sired sophomore colt and gelding pacers, who were non-winners of C$50,000 lifetime or C$30,000 in 2012 as of Oct. 31.

Live Standardbred racing returns to the Toronto oval Monday night (Dec. 3) with a 7:10 p.m. first race post time. On the 11-race program, 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings will contest their C$60,000 Autumn Stakes final.