Handicappers at Rideau Carleton Raceway were spot on with their selections in Monday’s $40,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series eliminations for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, as Best Ears and Warrawee Needy got the job done in their respective assignments.

Best Ears came up big in the first elimination thanks to his off-the-pace triumph in 1:52.4 for the tandem of driver Scott Zeron and trainer Jim Takter. The son of Shark Gesture-Extreme Dream watched Warrawee Nonsuch and Two Guys take turns on the lead through panels of :27.1 and :55.4 before moving off the rail and tracking cover behind co-favourite Jake Sully. He broke the beam while parked to the three-quarter pole in 1:24 before being overtaken in the lane by Best Ears, who drew clear to win by 3-3/4 lengths. Jake Sully was second, with Warrawee Nonsuch grabbing third prize.

Christina Takter of East Windsor, NJ shares ownership on the colt with John Fielding of Toronto and R A W Equine Inc of Burlington, ON. The victory was the second in three tries for the career winner of $30,000. The youngster, who was sent off at odds of 4-5, was an $82,000 purchase from last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

Warrawee Needy, who was sent off as the 1-9 favourite, nearly gave his backers – and his connections – cardiac arrest when he made an uncharacteristic break in the backstretch when he making a bid for the lead. The faux pas wasn’t enough to interrupt the colt’s unbeaten streak, however, for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Carl Jamieson. Retail led the field through early panels of :27.3 and :56 before feeling first over pressure from Warrawee Needy. The son of E Dees Cam-Great Memories rolled into a brief break before resetting and continuing his first-over journey. He was almost on even terms with Retail at the three-quarter pole in 1:24.2, but by the time the top of the stretch arrived Warrawee Needy began to sprint away. He used a :29.2 final frame to win by 5-1/4 lengths over Machapelo in 1:53.4. Retail faded to finish third.

Carl Jamieson of Princeton shares ownership on the juvenile with Tom Kyron of Toronto, Dr. Michael Wilson of Rockwood and Floyd Marshall of Jarvis, ON. The $20,000 purchase from last year’s Canadian Yearling Sale is now 4-for-4 with $113,500 in lifetime earnings.

The rookies will return to Rideau Carleton Raceway next Monday to contest the rich final, and here’s how they’ll line up behind the starting gate:

$130,000 OSS Gold Series Final
1. Warrawee Nonsuch
2. Machapelo
3. Daniel Semalu
4. Orse Power
5. Best Ears
6. Caddy Jeff
7. Retail
8. Jake Sully
9. Warrawee Needy

(courtesy Standardbred Canada)