O'Brien Award winner Nijinsky continued preparations for his upcoming Grand Circuit stakes campaign with a strong qualifying mile on Monday, May 5 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Regular reinsman Louis-Philippe Roy put Nijinsky on the point in his second qualifying start of the season on a cloudy morning after a tracking trip a week ago. The Tony Beaton-trained divisional champion cut the quarter in :27.4 and raced into a headwind down the backstretch to the half in :57.4 before accelerating to three-quarters in 1:26 and sprinting home in :25.4 with the wind at his back for a 1:51.4 qualifying win. Nijinsky was a in a race of his own, increasing his win margin into the double-digits off the final turn. Winmebak (James MacDonald), a 2023 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots champion and one-time starter last year, followed a dozen lengths behind in second with Momas Son Byrne (Jonathan Drury) and distaffer Kellina Diamond (J.R. Plante) completing the quartet.

Nijinsky was named the 2024 Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year after a $1.6 million campaign in which he won the prestigious North America Cup and every other Canadian race in which he participated. The Ontario Sires Stakes champion also added Grand Circuit wins that included divisions of the Somebeachsomewhere and Simcoe stakes on home turf as well as the Monument Circle and an elimination of the Meadowlands Pace in a career-best 1:47.3 clocking stateside. Top two in all but two of his 17 sophomore starts, Nijinsky was runner-up in the final of the Meadowlands Pace as well as the Breeders Crown and Progress Pace.

Beaton trains the four-year-old son of Bettors Delight out of Pirouette Hanover for owners West Wins Stable, John Fielding and Mark Dumain, as well as recently added owner Winbak Farm.

"We're fully staking him. We believe in him," said Coleman in a March interview. "I know he's a four-year-old racing against the Open horses, but I wouldn't trade him for anybody in the Open ranks. I'm very excited to bring him back."

Coleman had indicated that Nijinsky's first stakes engagement of the season would be the Graduate Series leg on May 31 at Mohawk.

A replay of Monday's full qualifying session is available below.

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

(Standardbred Canada)