Rookie trotters took centre stage on Saturday, Aug. 19 at Woodbine Mohawk Park with eliminations for the $620,000 William Wellwood Memorial and $425,000 Peaceful Way finals.

Three eliminations of the Wellwood and two eliminations of the Peaceful Way were contested.

Winter Soldier ($8.70) rallied to win the first Wellwood elimination for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna. The Face Time Bourbon colt went off at 3-1 and bounced back from his only career loss on Aug. 4.

My Way did the work on the front-end through fractions of :27.4, :58 and 1:26.1 before making a costly miscue at the top of the stretch. McCarthy and Winter Soldier elected to stay along the pylons before angling off the pylons to take advantage of a strong closing kick to score in 1:55.2.

Send It Hanover held on for second, while Masstercraft and Finite finished third and fourth, respectively.

The Alagna trainee recorded his second career win for owners Peter Alagna and Pryde Stables.

McCarthy and Alagna teamed up again to capture the second Wellwood elimination with Mars Hill ($8.90).

Top Mast fought for the early lead and strolled along through the opening quarter in :29.1 before relinquishing control to Mars Hill. McCarthy stepped on the accelerator around the final turn and tripped the three-quarter teletimer in 1:27. Mars Hill then stepped away from the field to the easiest of wins in 1:55.1.

Amazing Catch and Top Mast also secured spots in the final, while Jack N Abs finished fourth.

Heavy favourite T C I ($2.40) captured the final William Wellwood Memorial elimination for driver David Miller and trainer Ron Burke.

T C I got away third before rolling to the top just after the opening split. After a second quarter breather, T C I rolled along through three-quarters in 1:25.4. In the stretch, T C I kicked away from competition to win wrapped up in a new lifetime best of 1:54.1.

Soar Higher and Bryant Bros S also guaranteed spots in the final and Thinker Monkey came in fourth.

This son of Cantab Hall improved to five-for-six with the elimination score. The Burke trainee has now earned $115,970 for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc., and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

The top three finishers from each Wellwood elimination advanced to the final. A single fourth-place finisher, drawn by lot, also advanced to the final.  Finite won the draw and will race in the $620,000 final.

The winner of the William Wellwood Memorial will receive a free slot in the 2023 Mohawk Million on Sept. 23. Here's the field for the 2023 $620,000 William Wellwood Memorial in post order:

1. Bryant Bros S
2. Soar Higher
3. Mars Hill
4. Winter Soldier
5. Top Mast
6. T C I
7. Amazing Catch
8. Send It In Hanover
9. Finite
10. Masstercraft
AE. Jack N Abs

Even-money choice Drawn Impression (pictured above; $4.30) captured the first Peaceful Way elimination for driver Louis-Philippe Roy and trainer Luc Blais.

Tactical Strike exploded to the lead off the gate and led the field through fractions of :27.1, :56.4 and 1:25.3. After getting away fourth, Drawn Impression was right-lined to pick up the live cover of Cheval Rapide just after the halfway point. Roy moved Drawn Impression off cover and she kicked home in :27.2 to win by an expanding 2-1/4 lengths in 1:54.

Graceful Design was second, while Tactical Strike, Vanjie Blue Chip and Woman of Passion rounded out the top five to advance to the final.

This daughter of Muscle Hill is now two-for-two in her young career and boasts a bankroll of $23,500.

Tandem Hanover ($13.30) navigated an action-filled second elimination to capture the second and final Peaceful Way elimination for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Andrew Harris.

Nautilus B led through a quick opening quarter of :27.3 before relinquishing command to Draw The Line just before the half. Tandem Hanover was right-lined going into the final turn and quickly caught up to first-up attacker, Go For Gaagaa No. Dunn efficiently moved Tandem Hanover off second-over cover just past three-quarters in 1:25.1 and pulled away to romp in 1:54.3.

Willys Home Run closed up for second, while Draw The Line, Cool Ma Belle and Stubborn Chee claimed the remaining spots in the rich final.

The top five finishers from each Peaceful Way elimination advanced to the $425,000 final, and the post position was held following Saturday’s eliminations:

1. Willys Home Run
2. Tandem Hanover
3. Draw The Line
4. Woman of Passion
5. Drawn Impression
6. Vanjie Blue Chip
7. Cool Ma Belle
8. Graceful Design
9. Stubborn Chee
10. Tactical Strike
AE. Internationalmodel

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

(Woodbine)