The $661,000 Metro Pace and $616,000 Canadian Pacing Derby will highlight Saturday’s star-studded $2.4 million card at Mohawk Racetrack.
One of the biggest nights of the season, the ‘Pacing Derby’ and Metro card will put the sport’s top older pacers and the stars of the future on display. The $427,000 Shes A Great Lady is also a main event on the card.
Saturday’s card is filled with stakes action from start to finish.
Joining the big three events is the $215,704 Simcoe Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies, $208,040 Simcoe Stakes for three-year-old trotters (two divisions) and the $210,000 Ontario Sires Gold for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings (two divisions).
Harness racing fans are in for a treat, as three of the top four horses in the current Top 10 poll will be racing on Saturday. Wiggle It Jiggleit (#1) and Always B Miki (#4) will compete in the Canadian Pacing Derby, while Pepsi North America Cup champion Betting Line (#3) is racing in Ontario Sires Stakes action.
The Canadian Pacing Derby will be the main event Saturday and is carded as Race 10.
Another classic battle is expected between heavyweights Wiggle It Jiggleit (PP1, Montrell Teague), Shamballa (PP4, Rick Zeron) and Always B Miki (PP8, David Miller).
Wiggle It Jiggleit has won 11 of 18 this season, including the $325,000 Dan Patch on August 12 at Hoosier Park. The winner of over $3.3 million has hit the board in all 18 starts this season for another million-dollar season. Trained by Clyde Francis for George Teague, Wiggle It Jiggleit holds a career mark of 1:47.2 taken over a sloppy track at The Meadowlands.
Shamballa has made major noise this season to be linked with the heavyweights of pacing. The Rick Zeron trainee won the US Pacing Championship on August 6 at The Meadowlands in 1:47.1 and finished second in the William Haughton Memorial in July. A winner of over $800,000, Shamballa will be looking to use home track advantage.
Always B Miki has had a monstrous 2016 with six wins from 10 starts, including triumphs in the Mohawk Gold Cup, Ben Franklin and Haughton Memorial. The Jimmy Takter trainee became the fastest horse in the history of Mohawk Racetrack when he won the Gold Cup in 1:47.1 earlier this season. Approaching double millionaire status, Always B Miki is undefeated in three starts north of the border.
The ‘Pacing Derby’ field also includes last year’s champion State Treasurer (PP3, Chris Christoforou).
The Metro Pace for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings is headlined by last Saturday’s three elimination winners.
Takter trainee Ocean Colony (PP4, Yannick Gingras) was the fastest elimination winner with a 1:50.1 score by a head over Ideal Wheel (David Miller, PP8).
Windsong Napoleon (PP3, Phil Hudon) pulled off a stunning 54-1 upset in the first Metro elimination, while the final division saw Beyond Delight (PP1, Sylvain Filion) surprise at 20-1.
The Metro Pace is the sport’s richest race for two-year-olds and is carded as Race 7.
The Shes A Great Lady for rookie pacing fillies also had a major upset in last Saturday’s eliminations.
Thats The Ticket (PP2, Sylvain Filion) struck for a 58-1 shocker in the first elimination, while the second split went to even-money favourite Idyllic Beach (PP4, Yannick Gingras).
The Shes A Great Lady is carded as Race 4.
Also on Saturday, Grand Circuit week continues with the Simcoe Stakes for three-year-old trotters and pacing fillies.
A fantastic group of 10 three-year-old pacing fillies will square off in the $215,704 Simcoe Filly Pace.
L A Delight (PP8, Randy Waples), who won last year’s Shes A Great Lady, will look for her second consecutive Grand Circuit victory after capturing the Nadia Lobell last Saturday at The Meadows. The Bob McIntosh trainee recently went over $1 million in earnings and has won six of 10 starts this season.
Pure Country (PP1, Yannick Gingras) is returning to Mohawk for the first time since capturing the Fan Hanover Stakes in June. The Takter-trained filly has competed against the boys on two occasions this season and sports a record of six wins in 12 starts. Her career bankroll entering the Simcoe sits at over $1.5 million.
Darlinonthebeach (PP2, David Miller) will be looking to turn the tables on Pure Country at Mohawk, as she finished second in the Fan Hanover Stakes. The Nancy Johansson trainee has eight victories in 13 starts this season and over $722,000 in career earnings.
The Simcoe Filly Pace is carded as Race 6.
The Simcoe Trot attracted 16 three-year-old trotting colts and geldings. A pair of eight-horse $104,020 divisions will be contested Saturday and are headlined by a pair of Julie Miller trainees.
Sutton (PP3, Andy Miller) stars in the first division for the Team Miller. A two-time winner this season, he finished third in the $1 million Hambletonian final and has banked over $241,000 in 2016.
Milligans School (PP8, Andy Miller) will be looking to get back in the winner’s circle for the first time since early July in the second split. The son of Yankee Glide has three wins in 10 starts this season for earnings of over $187,000.
The Simcoe Trot divisions have been carded as Races 8 and 11.
The best Ontario sired three-year-old pacing colts and geldings will also compete on Saturday’s super card in two $105,000 Gold divisions.
Betting Line (PP2, David Miller), this year’s Pepsi North America Cup champion, will headline the OSS action in the second division. The Casie Coleman trainee has won nine of 10 starts this season with his only defeat coming in his season debut.
Betting Line has earned over $1.1 million this season to bring his career earnings total to more than $1.6 million.
The OSS Gold divisions have been carded as Races 2 and 3.
Doors open Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and the 13-race program gets started at 7:30 p.m.
Fans will be able to meet several former Canadian Pacing Derby and Metro Pace winning drivers during an autograph session getting underway 6:20 p.m. Fans will also be able to sign up for a sulky ride (limited spots), enjoy live music and receive their ‘First Bet on Us’.
To view the entries for Saturday's card at Mohawk, click one of the following links: Saturday Entries -- Saturday Program Pages.
(with files from WEG)