Defending Maple Leaf Trot-champ Hannelore Hanover succumbed again to defeat and the other mare, Ariana G, powered past pocket-sitter Will Take Charge to post a 10-1 upset in the second Maple Leaf Trot elimination, winning in 1:52.4 on the stakes-filled card Saturday, Aug. 25 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Hannelore Hanover coasted to the lead with Will Take Charge sitting second and Odds On Amethyst third through a :27.3 opening quarter. Unchallenged by the half in :56.2, Hannelore Hanover encountered first-over pressure from Will Take Charge popping pocket midway around the final turn.

Ariana G, travelling uncovered after the half, picked up cover briefly through the 1:24.2 third-quarter before tipping wide into the stretch. Hannelore Hanover chased at the inside while Will Take Charge moved to command at the eighth pole. Ariana G slid alongside the new leader approaching the line and edged past to claim victory ahead of Will Take Charge and Hannelore Hanover as well as from fellow finalists Guardian Angel As and Warrawee Roo.

“I’ve raced against her for about three years now and she’s one tough cookie,” winning driver David Miller, who picked up the drive for Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter, said after the race. “I thought this was the way tougher division and I kind of raced her to just get into the final and she surprised me. She was loaded around the last turn and she finished off against two pretty good horses.”

A four-year-old mare by Muscle Hill from the Cantab Hall mare Cantab It All, Ariana G, owned by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, won her fourth race in eight starts this season and her 25th in 34 overall, earning $2,357,937. She paid $23.60 to win.

Marion Marauder, surpassing $3 million in career earnings, cruised into contention from second over and shot to the top into the stretch to take the first elimination for the Maple Leaf Trot in 1:53.1.

Pinkman moved for the lead to the first quarter with I Know My Chip leaving for the pocket and Emoticon Hanover in third. Marion Marauder, gapping the gate at the start, sat fifth ahead of second-choice Dancer Hall through a :27.2 opening quarter. With no movement towards the front, Pinkman crept to the half in :57 as Crazy Wow committed first over into the final turn and carried Marion Marauder in tow second over.

Crazy Wow drew towards tempo-setter Pinkman by three-quarters in 1:25 as Marion Marauder fanned wide turning for home. Marion Marauder edged to the top as Crazy Wow faltered to the outside of Pinkman and Dancer Hall, from last, charged through the center of the course to claim second ahead of Emoticon Hanover outfinishing tired horses in third.

“Today he was very comfortable going down the lane,” winning driver Scott Zeron said after the race. “It was a matter of just staying at it. Down the lane, I knew he was comfortable—up by a few lengths—and I just let him coast at the wire. That’s why it looked like he pulled up a little.”

Owned by Marion Jean Wellwood and Devin Keeling, Marion Maruader, a five-year-old stallion by Muscle Hill out of the Donerail mare Spellbound Hanover, won his fifth race in eight starts this season and his 19th in 46 overall, amassing $3,015,202 in earnings. Michael Keeling conditions the $3.90 winner.

“He’s fun to race [and] he’s fun to watch,” Michael Keeling said. “He doesn’t have a particular style and the rail’s not a great spot for him and you just kind of watch and go ‘How does he get this done?’ Him and Scott just get along so well and it’s just been a great ride and we hope we get to keep going.”

Pinkman and Crazy Wow completed the top five advancing to the final next week with I Know My Chip being the only one eliminated since Bills Man and Jl Cruze scratched out of the race. Marion Marauder, along with the other elimination winner, will get to pick his post for the final.

“For him, [to pick his post] is really important,” Keeling said. “We kind of need him to be closer to the middle of the gate because then he can get his momentum up and can choose the route he wants to take. The rail really handcuffs this horse [but] I’d rather have the rail than the 10 any night. This is very, very key.”

The field for the $651,000 received their post positions following the eliminations, with the group of 10 going postward next Saturday as follows:

1. Crazy Wow
2. Dancer Hall
3. Marion Marauder
4. Ariana G
5. Will Take Charge
6. Warrawee Roo
7. Hannelore Hanover
8. Emoticon Hanover
9. Guardian Angel As
10. Pinkman
AE I Know My Chip

Odds-on favourite Captain Crunch wired his competition in the first of three $92,127 divisions of the Nassagaweya with a 1:52 mile over late-closing Goldberg.

Driver Scott Zeron positioned Captain Crunch on the lead with Action Hanover drafting from the pocket through a :27.1 opening quarter. Lyons Johnnyjnr, sitting fourth, angled first over heading to the half, timed in :56, and advanced to within two lengths of the lead around the final turn.

Captain Crunch continued to lead past three-quarters in 1:24.1 and kicked clear of Lyons Johnnyjnr chasing in second. Goldberg, from third over, swooped around rivals and rushed into second at the wire as Lyons Johnnyjnr clung to third.

“[Johansson] chose to stay away from the Grand Circuit horses for awhile and just aim him for the Metro Pace and so far it’s worked out,” winning driver Scott Zeron said. “I find [with] every good horse [I] drive [that] everything’s effortless and it’s just so easy for him to do and he covers the ground so well that I thought he had the potential to be this caliber and hopefully he gets better.”

Undefeated in his three starts career, Captain Crunch, by Captaintreacherous out of the Artiscape mare Sweet Paprika, has collected $59,064 for owners 3 Brothers Stables and Rojan Stables. Nancy Johansson trains the $3.10 winner.

Captain Ahab scored his fifth-consecutive victory when winning the $92,127 second division of the Nassagaweya in 1:51.4.

Maintenance Man made his way to the lead from post eight, gunning to command in progress to a :26.4 opening quarter with Sports Teen in the pocket. Sporty Mcsportster, sitting fourth, supplied cover to favourite Captain Ahab moving past the half, timed in :55.4, and advanced towards the leader circling the final turn. Maintenance Man maintained a narrow lead under first-over pressure from Sporty Mcsportster passing three-quarters in 1:24 while Captain Ahab slowly tipped off cover.

The Tony Alagna-trained son of Captaintreacherous uncorked his speed at the head of the lane while Lyons Night Hawk, from third over, gave pursuit two lengths back in second. Driver Andrew McCarthy gave Captain Ahab a few taps of the whip approaching the line to hold his advantage over Lyons Night Hawk with Sports Teen holding third from Tyga Hanover.

“Just like Paul [MacDonell] said last week we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface yet,” McCarthy said of Captain Ahab’s talent. “It worked out great tonight—they sped out of there [and] I got to race him the way I like to race him and he does love passing horses. He got by them and [Tim] Tetrick [on Lyons Night Hawk] sounded like he was going to race me a little bit so I kicked the earplugs out and off he went again.”

Earning $82,564 for owners Brittany Farms LLC and Vincent Barbera, Captain Ahab, out of the Western Ideal mare Acquavella, returned $2.10 to win.

“He’s been good all winter [but] the only thing we were concerned about a little bit was, because he’s such a tall colt, we wanted to make sure he had enough power,” Alagna said. “But it’s amazing; the more I do with him, the more I race him, the healthier he gets. He looks great tonight and is a very gifted colt. We’re surprised that he became as good as he did as quickly as he did because he’s such a tall colt. He’s just doing everything he’s doing right now on raw ability. I’m even more excited about what he can do at three.”

Stag Party swept to the top past the half and pulled off a 10-length romp in the $92,127 final division of the Nassagaweya, winning as the 1-5 favourite in 1:52.2.

The Casie Coleman-trained son of Bettors Delight sat fifth while Blank Canvas held control by a :26.4 opening quarter. Heisman Player, parked to the first turn, progressed towards the lead entering the backstretch and held control as Stag Party began his backside blitz through a :56 half.

Stag Party glided on the lead heading to three-quarters as Odds On Boca Raton chased first-over alongside Heisman Player through the 1:24 clocking. Stag Party’s margin quickly opened through the stretch as driver David Miller shut him down into the eighth pole while The Regulator, from the back of the field, rallied for second and Odds On Boca Raton held third.

“Leaving the gate it looked like there were a couple of guys going at it pretty hard so I jumped in a hole,” Miller said after the race. “I was hoping to get cover but when he was first up I went ahead and took a run for the lead. He cleared and did everything else pretty easy.”

Owned by John Fielding, Mac Nichol, Mickinlay & Fielding and West Wins Stable, Stag Party, out of the Western Ideal mare My Lady Day, won his fourth race in five starts, earning $159,964. He paid $2.60 to win.

“Every single time he’s went to the gate he’s done a real good job,” Coleman said. “He’s a wicked-talent colt there’s no doubt about that. Dave still had the plugs in there and [with] the rain [he] did it pretty easy. It’s hard not get excited [for the Metro Pace] with a guy like him. The skies the limit.”

Tony Alagna-trainee Key West popped pocket and held firm on the lead through the wire to win the $84,116 first division of the Eternal Camnation in 1:52.4.

Ideation Hanover shot for the front with Key West, sent the 1-5 favourite, securing the pocket ahead of Deb moving past the quarter in :28. Driver Brett Miller then circled Key West to the lead approaching the half, timed in :56.3, while Deb slid off the rail to move first over.

Deb pressured Key West through three-quarters in 1:25 while Ideation Hanover sat the pocket and Queen Of The Pride drew into contention from second over. Key West continued to hold control through the lane as Ideation Hanover snuck through a seam at the rail to take second ahead of Queen Of The Pride rallying off cover for third.

“As soon as I moved her to the front, I knew I made a mistake,” winning driver Brett Miller said. “When I was moving her to the front, she was wanting to pull up—and a lot of two-year-olds do that. She definitely did not want to be on the front tonight; she has always been better from off the pace or following a horse and its starting to show a little more. But when they did start getting to her, she did dig back in.”

Winning her third race in five starts, Key West, owned by Brittany Farms LLC and Bradley Grant, has earned $65,808 so far this season. The filly by Captaintreacherous, from the Dragon Again mare Bodacious Hanover, paid $2.50 to win.

Quebec Blue Chip commandeered her competition and maintained control through the homestretch sprint to win the $83,115 second division of the Eternal Camnation in 1:53.2.

The Dave Menary-trained daughter of Sportswriter led the field past the quarter in :27 with Bestseller Hanover occupying the pocket and Izzy Hanover behind her in third. Through a :57.1 half, even-money favourite Odds On St Lucie tipped first over to challenge Quebec Blue Chip rounding the final turn. The favourite came within a length of control past three-quarters in 1:25.3 but hanged in the stretch as Quebec Blue Chip accelerated and clung to command through the wire. Prescient Beauty blew through the center of the track to take third in a photo with Bestseller Hanover fourth.

“I got real lucky [that] we got to steal that second quarter,” winning driver Jody Jamieson said post-race. “This filly, just like she did at Grand River [winning the Battle of the Belles] just did it herself.”

Winning her fourth-consecutive race and her fifth in seven starts overall, Quebec Blue Chip, from the Bettors Delight mare Hazes Zure Bet, competes for owners Menary Racing Inc., Michael Guerriero, Kenneth Ewen and Bruce Norris. The $10.80 winner has accrued $209,046 so far this season.

“The main development for this filly all along has been Dave Menary and everything he does,” Jamieson also said. “He’s proven year in and year out he’s an amazing developer of young talent—he picks them out, trains them down, owns a piece of them. And I’m just lucky enough to be a part of that.”

Sent the 1-9 favourite, Tall Drink Hanover gradually made her way to the lead and strolled to a 1:52.4 victory in the $84,116 final division of the Eternal Camnation.

Driver Andrew McCarthy got away fourth with the Tony Alagna-trainee and pulled off the rail to move for the lead through a :27.4 opening quarter. Tall Drink Hanover cleared control prior to the half-mile, timed in :56.3, leaving early-leader Crisp Mane in the pocket.

Princess Layla ventured first over rounding the final turn before going on a gallop heading to three-quarters. Kylie Seelster, sitting third, kicked off the rail in pursuit of Tall Drink Hanover through the 1:24.4 third-quarter. She continued to chase through the lane as Tall Drink Hanover maintained the advantage through the wire with Blossom Onthebeach rallying for third and Crisp Mane holding fourth.

“She’s a very typical Captaintreacherous; just push-button to drive,” McCarthy said after the race. “[I] moved her to the front, she does everything right, gets there, relaxes and then I asked her to pace a little bit at the head of the stretch and off she went. The way she responded when I did, I knew I was pretty good.”

By Captaintreacherous from The Panderosa mare Take Into Account, Tall Drink Hanover, owned by Alagna Racing LLC, Marvin Katz and Riverview Racing LLC, won her third race in five starts, earning $69,958. She paid $2.30 to win.

“I liked her [training down] in Florida and she was a little bit behind these other fillies that are up here tonight,” Alagna said. “They all came from Lexington and she came from Harrisburg, so she had a six-week deficit and she’s just gotten better and better. She’s very reminiscent of [Captaintreacherous]—she wears no earplugs; she’s just a sweetheart to drive.”

During the Saturday night card, the draw for next Saturday's $600,000 Canadian Pacing was held. Here's the field in post position order.

1. Split The House
2. Lazarus
3. McWicked
4. Rockin Ron
5. Filibuster Hanover
6. All Bets Off
7. Nirvana Seelster
8. Sintra
9. Dr J Hanover
10. Western Fame

One of the competitors in the field was in action during the card and reached a career milestone. With his fourth place finish in the seventh race, O'Brien Award winner Sintra surpassed $1 million in lifetime earnings.

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.