Local horsepeople have been eager to get their young charges qualified over Woodbine Mohawk Park, which a glut of entries for this week’s morning miles has more than indicated. The response has been so great that track officials were forced to schedule two sessions for the youngsters, the first of which took place this morning (Thursday, June 14).

The Thursday qualifying session was designated for fillies, as a total of nine races were programmed for the docket. The colts and geldings will get their chance Friday (June 15), as 10 dashes for the males are set to be contested (click here to see the entries).

The qualifying session was contested over a ‘fast’ track. A one-second allowance in speed was given for all of the races – except for Race 6 – due to a strong headwind that the fillies faced while in the homestretch.

Quebec Blue Chip, a Sportswriter bay steered by Jody Jamieson for trainer David Menary, proved to be the quickest victress of the morning session. The juvenile excelled off of a forwardly-paced trip and went on to freeze the timer in 1:57.4. The $40,000 yearling purchase sat close to the lead through the fractions (:30, 1:00.3, 1:29.1) before pacing off to a two and a half-length victory. The Harrisburg selection is owned by Menary Racing Inc., Michael Guerriero, Kenneth Ewen and Bruce Norris.

The session also featured three trotting tilts (Races 3 through 5), and it was the Vic Puddy-trained and Sylvain Filion-driven Petro Hall that recorded the fastest of those miles. The daughter of Angus Hall converted a pocket trip into a 2:02.2 victory. After having started from Post 5, the bay sat the two-hole through the fractions (:31.2, 1:01, 1:31) before getting up for a one and a half-length win. Petro Hall, who was plucked from the London Selected Yearling Sale for $15,000, is owned by Lloyd Stone, James Ruhl, Dr. Charles Hall and Michael Kwietniowski.

A number of blue-blooded fillies were also victorious on Thursday morning. Those winning performers included a pair of pacers sent out by owner Tom Hill, trainer Dan Lagace and driver Sylvain Filion. Annie Hill, a daughter of Captaintreacherous and the first living two-year-old of O'Brien Award winner Western Silk captured her qualifier in 1:58. Matching that time in another morning mile was Demi Hill, a Captaintreacherous sister to world champion Hes Watching.

Also sending out a pair of successful regally-bred individuals was the team of driver Doug & trainer Gregg McNair along with breeder/owner James Avritt. First up was Prescient Beauty, a full-sister to O'Brien Award winner Precocious Beauty and three-quarter sister to O'Brien Award winner Sportswriter, with a 1:58.3 score. Beautyonthebeach, a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere and the first foal of the aforementioned Precocious Beauty, made a solid debut with a 2:01.2 mile.

To view the harness racing results for the Thursday qualifying session at Mohawk, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifying).