October 14, 2023
By James Platz for Ontario Racing
MILTON, October 14, 2023 – A Gold Series victory had eluded Believe U Me in four previous starts, but the sophomore trotter brought her best effort Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. With Louis-Philippe Roy in the bike, the Muscle Mass-I Believe filly overcame the outside post to score a 1:54.3 upset in the $300,000 OSS Gold Super Final and giving trainer David Menary his second victory in two nights.
The Wiesman Farms-bred three-year-old spent August and September in Lexington competing in the Kentucky Commonwealth series, collecting two wins and finishing third in the $100,000 final for trainer Ron Burke.
Returning to Gold Series action on October 2nd, Believe U Me raced fifth for Roy, who also piloted the trotter as a two-year-old. She was sent to Menary to prepare for the Super Final and made her first start for the conditioner Saturday night.
“I was happy with the week she had, I really touted her to Louis, Ike's Dream raced earlier in the night and she trained with him on Saturday and Tuesday and went right on by him,” said Menary. “She's kind of a tricky mare to drive but we had a bad post and I was very confident in letting him go forward. She's tricky to drive and Louis did a great job, I didn't think she could be first up that way but everything fell into place tonight and I'm happy to be standing here.”
A $115,000 Lexington purchase for Wiliam Donovan, Believe U Me entered the contest ranked ninth in points with series earnings of just under $35,000.
Righteous Resolve and Baroness Hill, by comparison, led the division and were the top selections in the final.
Starting from the rail, heavy favorite Righteous Resolve and James MacDonald took control early with Baroness Hill sitting in the pocket seat for Doug McNair.
Believe U Me sat off the early pace in sixth after starting from Post 9 but after a :26 opening panel, Roy moved first up on the backstretch.
Advancing to second racing through the turn, Believe U Me and Roy assumed the lead racing out of the turn as Righteous Resolve began to retreat.
“She doesn't really like the front and there was one time she raced in Saratoga and she wanted to run out of the race track when you put her on the front, so even going into the last turn she was feeling pretty good but I had mixed feelings, I didn't want to clear her too early,” Roy explained. “I saw the Resolve mare was kind of tired there and I was scared if I cleared her too early how mine would react, but at some point she was feeling so good that she just went by by herself and I was just making sure I was keeping her attention and she was just feeling really good.”
The duo were able to get the jump on the field, which was the key to victory. Once McNair found room along the inside, Baroness Hill closed with a late kick but came up a length and a half short at the wire. Stonebridge Bravo trotted home third. Righteous Resolve faded to eighth.
Winning for the fifth time this season, Believe U Me more than doubled her seasonal bankroll, which now stands at $252,228.
She rewarded her backers handsomely, paying $32.60 to win.
Menary picked up a Gold Series training double after sending out Super Final winner Pass Line Friday night.
Complete results from Saturday's Super Finals are available
here and replays can be viewed on the Woodbine Mohawk Park YouTube
channel.
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