A marathon of qualifiers went to post Monday (June 14) at Gaitway Farm with 14 baby races and four for older horses at the tail of the card.

Max Contract opened the afternoon pacing the fastest mile of the four divisions for two-year-old fillies when stopping the clock in 1:55. The Julie Miller-trained daughter of Huntsville-Big Mcdeal took command from post 5 and posted a clip of :31.3, 1:01 and 1:28.1 before accelerating home in :26.4 – a :54 back half – to win by 3 1/2 lengths in rein to Andy Miller. Always Gonna B You finished second and Shadows Dancers faded to third.

Later on the card, the Sweet Lou-Camille colt Wehadababyetzaboy reeled in a loose pacesetter to post the quickest time for the two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Trailing breakaway leader Hunting Angels by 12 lengths to a :28.1 opening quarter, Wehadababyetzaboy gained slight ground through middle fractions of :58.1 and 1:25.2 before setting down for the stretch drive. Driver Yannick Gingras gave mild encouragement to the Ron Burke trainee as he swept to a 5 3/4-length win over Hunting Angels, pacing his back fractions in :54/:27.2.

In the qualifier following, Gettinmystepsin topped the three divisions for two-year-old trotting fillies with a narrow 1:57.3 win. The Chapter Seven-Muscle Test filly sat third as Dreamonhigh cleared control to a :30.1 opening quarter and stayed put as that temposetter cruised to a 1:00.3 half. Past three-quarters in 1:30, driver Andy Miller ranged Gettinmystepsin off the pegs and rolled to the lead in the late stages of the mile as Dreamonhigh lost stride. The Julie Miller trainee hit the finish a neck better than More Than Ever with pocket-sitter University Hall finishing third.

Another pupil from the Andy and Julie Miller team, Laws Of Motion, took the speed mark on the day for the two-year-old trotting colts and geldings with a 1:55.4 mile. Away third to a :29.3 opening quarter, the colt by Walner-Gravitator brushed to the lead before a :59.2 half and strolled through a :56.2 back half to win by seven lengths over TNT Blue Chip. Frank The Elder checked in third, another three lengths behind.

The regally-bred La Vie En Blanc won while making her first public appearance. The half-sister to Ramona Hill, the daughter of Chapter Seven-Lock Down Lindy trotted a winning mile in 2:00.2 with Andrew McCarthy in the bike.

“There are a lot of similarities,” Alagna said about La Vie En Blanc and Ramona Hill. “They’re very willing; both have a great work ethic. They have a little different way of trotting. (La Vie En Blanc) trots a little lower, but you know they’re sisters. She covers the ground.”

When the last of the babies stepped off the track, a pair of trotting dynamos dueled in world-champion Atlanta and 2020 Hambletonian champ Ramona Hill. With Champagne On Ice posting a :29.1 opening quarter, Ramona Hill — as she lost a shoe past the quarter pole — circled out of third to the lead while Atlanta sat fourth to a :59.1 half. Driver Yannick Gingras slowly angled the six-year-old Chapter Seven mare off the pylons as the pace accelerated to three-quarters in 1:26.4 and lifted flight into the stretch. The Ron Burke trainee trotted a back half in about :53.3 to down Ramona Hill at the beam by a nose in a 1:53.3 mile. Champagne On Ice finished another nine lengths behind in third.

“Andy didn’t push her (because of losing the shoe) but he said she was very good,” Alagna said. “It took us a little while, but today is the best she’s been, so I think we have her going in the right direction.”

Ron Burke later sent Warrawee Ubeaut and his sophomore Bettors Delight filly Scarlett Hanover to the track, but his third trainee – Shes Nun Bettor N – hit the finish first of a 1:52.3 mile. The five-year-old down-under mare by Bettors Delight set a clip of :29.4, :58.2 and 1:25.2 to cap the mile with a :27.1 final quarter over second-place finisher Seaswift Joy N. Warrawee Ubeaut finished third, pacing back fractions of :54/:26.4, and Scarlett Hanover finished fourth, pacing back fractions of :53.2/:26.1.

The full 18-race qualifying session is available in the broadcast below:

(with files from the USTA)