Chantilly uncorked a number of impressive performances during her nine-for-nine Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year-winning campaign in 2024. Add her 2025 debut to that list.

As reported earlier this week, Chantilly made her first charted sophomore appearance during the session of qualifiers on Friday, April 25 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The daughter of Big Jim - Shiraz Seelster faced five rivals, including fellow O'Brien Award finalist Wickedpace.

It was, in fact, post five starter Wickedpace and driver Jody Jamieson on top of that first qualifier early until that duo yielded to Chantilly and driver James MacDonald. Crossing over from the outermost post six in that qualifier, Chantilly cleared to command before a :28 opening quarter and fronted the field down the backside where a strong wind confronted the morning's pacesetters.

After posting middle fractions of :58.2 and 1:26.4, Chantilly kicked into another gear turning for home with the wind at her back. MacDonald moved little as Chantilly willingly closed in a spicy :26.1 for the 1:53 score. Wickedpace finished second, 2-1/2 lengths in arrears.

"She was awesome," said MacDonald after the qualifiers. "Very professional and just waiting for you to call on her."

Nick Gallucci trains Chantilly for breeder-owner Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont. According to Gallucci, there's another qualifier possible next Friday, May 2 and then fans of harness racing can expect to see Chantilly make her 2025 pari-mutuel debut in the SBOA Filly Pace at Mohawk. The undefeated pacer is still eligible to compete against male rivals in what would be an historic edition of the Pepsi North America Cup. 

Chantilly wasn't the only impressive sophomore during the Friday session.

Flashy three-year-old trotting colt Go Ahead Makemyday (Walner - Uvie Hanover) made every call a winning one in a 1:55.2 eye-opener for driver Louis-Philippe Roy, trainer / co-owner Blake MacIntosh and co-owners Van Camp Trotting Corp. of Port Perry, Mortgage Boys Stable of Fayetteville, N.Y. and Ozzie MacKay of Moncton, N.B.

Sprite Seelster couldn't best the likes of Monalishi, Foxy Amee and Medley Seelster as a rookie but the sophomore trotting daughter of Green Manalishi S - Speak Of The Devil was weaved through traffic by Tyler Borth to best all of those rivals in a 1:57.3 effort. Katie MacNeil is now handling the conditioning on Sprite Seelster for owner Borth and Elite Equine LLC of St. Thomas.

Pepsi North America Cup-eligible Fifth And Five (Bettors Delight - Filou Fly Fast) handled the heavy lifting in his second assignment of the season, on the engine on Friday morning for a 1:56 score — last quarter in :26.1 — for driver and co-owner Jody Jamieson, trainer and co-owner Carl Jamieson and co-owner Trevor Edwards of Kirkton, Ont.

The full video stream from Friday is available below.

For results from the qualifying session, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).

(Standardbred Canada)