O'Brien Award-winning trotting filly Monalishi made a successful sophomore debut during the first set of SBOA Stakes eliminations on Friday, May 9 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Three-year-old trotting fillies faced off in a pair of $25,000 eliminations with Monalishi and Green Glider headlining their respective fields in matching 1:54.3 miles. The top five finishers from each elimination will move on to their divisional stakes final on Saturday, May 17. 

Parked through a :28.2 opening quarter, driver James MacDonald moved 1-9 favourite Monalishi in front just past three-eighths and set middle splits of :57 and 1:27 with her lead expanding to four lengths when early leader Bright Green (Louis-Philippe Roy) broke stride in the pocket on the final turn. The reigning divisional champion kept well ahead of her pursuers as she kicked home in :27.2 to seal the deal with the earplugs still in. Sprite Seelster (Tyler Borth) finished second, gaining ground late but still 1-3/4 lengths behind the 1:54.3 winner, while Roxie Hart (Trevor Henry) closed for third. Nightingale (Chris Christoforou) and Not Passable (Jody Jamieson) rounded out the top five.

Trainer Blake MacIntosh and Tim Klemencic co-own the Green Manalishi S-Pretty Phylly G filly, who won six of 10 starts during her award-winning rookie season, including the Peaceful Way Stakes, and earned $562,811.

Primed for her sophomore campaign with three qualifying miles and a newfound calm demeanor, Monalishi was sent postward as the 1-9 overwhelming favourite and paid $2.20 to win.

In the other elimination, Green Glider swooped the group at odds of 6-1, bursting onto the scene in deep stretch with a :27 final-quarter sprint from the backfield in rein to Trevor Henry. After trailing the field of seven through opening panels of :27.1 and :57, Henry had Green Glider in play third-over while the field headed to three-quarters in 1:26.3.  As 3-5 favourite Lil Sweet (Doug McNair), last year's Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final champ, wore down pacesetter Incantation (Garrett Rooney) in the stretch, Green Glider was cut loose and swept to victory in 1:54.3 by 1-1/2 lengths with Exquisite Taste (Louis-Philippe Roy) closing to her inside and Lil Sweet following in third. Tellers Choice (Tyler Jones) and Stormont Beautiful (Bob McClure) also advanced to the final.

Scott McEneny trains the Green Manalishi S-Magical Glider filly, an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots consolation winner at two who has shown marked development in a pair of sophomore starts after wintering in Florida. She earned her third career win and has now banked $54,508 from 10 starts for owner Andrea Lea Racingstables Inc.

Green Glider returned $14.60 for the mild upset.

More SBOA Stakes eliminations will be contested on Saturday, May 10 at Mohawk for the three-year-old open trot division.

Pop-Up Series action continued on Friday night with the second round of a conditioned event for pacing fillies and mares. Ladyterra ($3.40) repelled a challenge from fellow first leg winner Lady Get Lady in a 1:51.4 career-best mile to double up in the series prelims for driver Bob McClure and trainer Zachary Carroll while Cheese Party ($8) won the other $15,000 division in 1:53.1 with Jody Jamieson aboard the Kyle Bossence trainee. The series, which is for non-winners of $20,000 or not averaging $1,700 per start in 2025 in a minimum of eight starts, will conclude with a $25,000 final next Friday, May 16.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada)