'Horatio,' Two-Year-Olds Tune Up
A total of seven qualifying dashes took to the track this morning at Mohawk Racetrack, and after millionaire Keystone Horatio was done making his return, a four-pack of two-year-old dashes was the focus
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After having not put in a charted mile since July 31, the John Kopas-trained and Randy Waples-driven Keystone Horatio left from Post 7 in Race 1 and went straight to business. The five-year-old son of Rustler Hanover went to the top early, notched the fractions in :27.3, :57.1 and 1:26.1, and closed in :27.2 for a 10 and a quarter-length win in 1:53.3.
The James William-trained and Jody Jamieson-driven Lanco Terror kicked off the two-year-old action in Race 2. The son of Western Terror followed Keystone Horatio's lead and did all the work himself on the front end. The fractions were put up in :29.2, 1:01.1 and 1:30.1. The colt came hom in :28 for a three and a quarter-length victory in 1:58.1.
Conditioned by Travis Umphrey and driven by Rick Zeron, the two-year-old Mach Three filly Monkey On My Wheel mixed up the styles in Race 3, which was the filly's first-ever charted mile. After starting from Post 5, the lass raced from well off the tempo, but got up in the closing strides to post a neck win in 1:58 off a :27 final quarter.
Race 4 saw the two-year-old Paul Walker-trained and driven Cantab Hall colt Aldrin Hanover make every pole a winning one, as he cut the fractions in :29.2, :59.1 and 1:29.3 and tripped the final timer in 1:59. The winning margin was four lengths and the colt's final quarter was clocked in :29.2.
Two-year-old Striking Sahbra filly Tropical Breeze AS was tops in Race 5 for trainer Anette Lorentzon and driver Peter Wallinder, as she turned a pocket ride into a two and a half-length win in 2:00.2.
Whit Ken Win (1:55.2) and Friendly Amigo (1:56.3) were the other victorious horses on the morning.
To view the charted results from the qualifying session, click here.