Melmerby Beach Sister Wins 2YO Qualifier
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Woodbine Mohawk Park played host to a nine-race qualifying session on Tuesday morning (July 16), and two-year-olds competed in six of the dashes, including a full sister to Melmerby Beach.
The session kicked off with the first of the two-year-old tilts, and it was Martinique Beach, a full sister to Melmerby Beach, that was first under the wire in 1:56.4. Martinique Beach’s trainer/driver, Paul MacDonell, was up behind the Somebeachsomewhere bay. The duo left from Post 4 and did all of the roadwork (:29.2, :58.4, 1:27.4) before nailing the wire 12 and three-quarter-lengths the best. Martinique Beach, who is out of the Art Major mare DB Blue Chip, is a homebred of the Schooner Ii Stable (of Truro, NS).
Fluff was on her game in Race 2, as the juvenile daughter of Royalty For Life—Flexible Woman fired from Post 6, led at every call (:31.2, 1:02, 1:31.2), and cruised under the wire much the best in 2:01.1 for driver Bob McClure. The $9,500 London Selected sale purchase is owned by Glengate Farms (Mississauga, Ont.), Pat Hunt (Cambridge, Ont.) and the Goldfinger Stables (Hamilton, Ont.).
Two-year-old Muscle Hill colt Nylander was top shelf in Race 3, as the Shawn Steacy trainee left from Post 5, cleared to the engine after the opening quarter, and went on to win in 2:02.2. The bay out of the Cantab Hall mare Superstar Hanover is owned by the Steacy Macmillan Stable (Lansdowne, Ont.), Dale Larson (Kent City, MI), Hudson Standrdbrd Stb Inc. (Hudson, Que.), and Stephen Klunowski (North York, Ont.). Nylander was a $105,000 yearling purchase from the Lexington Selected sale. James MacDonald was in rein to Nylander in the qualifier, and the duo cut the fractions in :31.2, 1:02 and 1:31.2.
Two-year-old Sunshine Beach colt Rockin Roll Beach made every call a winning one in Race 4, as the $21,000 Lexington Selected buy fired out from Post 3 and cut the speed (:29.3, :59.2, 1:33.1) before coming home to hit the wire first in 1:57.2. Rockin Roll Beach, who is out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Staceys Lady, is owned by Roland Trudel (Becancour, Que.), Michel Damphousse (Louiseville, Que.) and Guy Lavoie (Terrebonne, Que.). Rockin Roll Beach was driven by Chris Christoforou for trainer Raphael Bourassa.
Race 5 saw the unraced three-year-old Sunshine Beach colt Legion Seelster defeat a field of rookies with a 1:56.4 mile. The brown colt went to the top from Post 6 and cut all the fractions (:28, :56.3, 1:26.4) before holding off all comers in the lane for driver Daryl Thiessen. Richard Moreau performs the training duties for Gaston Bibeau (Ecurie Csl, Que.) and Sorel-Tracy (Que.). Legion Seelster was a $70,000 yearling purchase at the 2017 London Selected yearling sale.
After having sat third through the fractions (:32.4, 1:2.3, 1:32.2), the Ben Baillargeon-trained and Louis-Philippe Roy-driven Hp Royal Theo fired in the lane and came on to win Race 6 in 2:02.1. The two-year-old Royalty For Life gelding is owned by Claude Hamel (Ayer's Cliff, Que.) and Michel Damphousse (Louiseville, Que.). HP Royal Theo, who is out of the SJs Caviar mare Mikas Mazurka, has now won both of his qualifiers to kick off his career.
The action switched away from the two-year-olds in Race 7, as 2017 O’Brien Award winner Alarm Detector took to the track and trotted to a 14 and a quarter-length victory for trainer Ben Baillargeon and driver Sylvain Filion. The four-year-old son of Chapter Seven is owned by Tom and Elizabeth Rankin (St. Catharines, Ont.), Claude Hamel (Ayer's Cliff, Que.) and Santo Vena (Brampton, Ont.). The mile was clocked in 1:58.
To view the harness racing results from the Tuesday qualifying session at Mohawk, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.