Two-year-old pacers will step into the spotlight Saturday night to kick off a month and a half stretch of Grand Circuit action at Mohawk Racetrack. The Nassagaweya Stakes for freshmen pacing colts and geldings and the Eternal Camnation Stakes for juvenile pacing fillies will each feature two divisions.

Each event carries a total purse of $211,000.

Many of the two-year-olds competing in this Saturday’s stakes are preparing for next week’s Metro Pace and Shes A Great Lady eliminations.

Bettors Dream, an undefeated son of Bettors Delight, headlines the Nassagaweya’s $106,250 opening division. The Scott McEneny trainee is a perfect three for three to start his career, including a three-length score in the Dream Maker Series final on August 1.

A $45,000 purchase at last October’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Bettors Dream really caught the eye of his trainer.

“He was a good looking colt, he was well-bred,” McEneny said, following Bettors Dream’s series victory. “A lot of the two-year-olds in his family didn’t make it to the races, but he looked like he could’ve been a two-year-old, so I thought he was kind of cheap.”

John Fielding and Domenic Chiaravalle share ownership of Bettors Dream with McEneny, who noted that he was forced to geld the pacer early while training down.

“He’s been a pretty nice horse to train down, a little lazy, he shows that on the front end, but I think he would be a lot better horse out of a hole.”

Doug McNair will steer the undefeated gelding from Post 6 in the first split.

Listed as the 4-5 morning line favourite, Bettors Dream will be looking to follow in the footsteps of last year’s Dream Maker winner, Control The Moment, who followed up his series victory with a win in the Nassagaweya and ultimately the Metro Pace.

Trainer Casie Coleman is regularly well represented by her rookies during the Grand Circuit events at Mohawk, and this Saturday will be no different.

Ideal Wheel is two for two to start his career and will look for a stakes victory in the Nassagaweya’s $104,750 second split. The Coleman trainee hasn’t raced since July 28, but qualified last Friday at Mohawk and finished first in 1:54.4, two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Bettors Dream.

The son of American Ideal was a $150,000 purchase at last November’s Harrisburg Sale and is owned by Mac Nichol. Jonathan Drury will drive Ideal Wheel and the duo will start from Post 7.

The Eternal Camnation Stakes attracted 16 pacing fillies, but much of the focus will be on Coleman trainee Candlelight Dinner.

The daughter of American Ideal is a perfect three for three entering Saturday’s contest and has not only been the most impressive rookie pacer locally, but arguably in the entire sport.

Candlelight Dinner caught the eye of Coleman last year at Hunterton Farms and eventually was purchased for $110,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

“There was nothing not to like about her at sale time,” said Coleman after her filly’s last start. “I went to Hunterton Farms and saw her a few weeks before the sale and I actually couldn’t turn her out.

“I love to turn my horses out in the field and see how they travel, but she had hurt her leg, just a superficial thing, and Cindy and Steve (Stewart) were like ‘we can’t turn her out’ and I understood, but there is nothing to fault on her, she’s just phenomenal.”

Candlelight Dinner appears to be a special filly based on her performances to date. Through three starts, her smallest margin of victory is four and a half lengths, and she most recently captured the final of the Whenuwishuponastar Series by five lengths in a nation’s best 1:52.2.

Drury will once again have the assignment behind the talented pacing filly and they will start from Post 5 in the first division. Candlelight Dinner is the 2-5 morning line choice.

Just like Coleman, McEneny is also well represented in both of Saturday’s event.

Bettors Up will return to Mohawk after three starts in Pennsylvania Sires Stakes action. The McEneny trainee is riding a two-race win streak, including a 1:52.3 victory in her last start on August 7 at Pocono.

A $15,000 purchase at last fall’s Lexington Sale, Bettors Up has earned $87,955 through five starts for her connections of Brad Grant, Teresa Davidson and Michelle McEneny. The four-time winner will start from post six in the second split with driver James MacDonald and has been installed as the 7/5 favourite.

The Nassagaweya divisions have been carded as Races 5 and 7, while the Eternal Camnation splits are carded as Races 3 and 9.

Saturday’s 11-race card also features a $34,000 Preferred Pace. Post time is 7:30 p.m.

To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Mohawk, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.

Here are the full fields for Saturday’s Nassagaweya and Eternal Camnation Stakes.

PP/Horse/Driver/Trainer/Morning Line

Race 5: Nassagaweya (Division 1) - $106,250

1. Deadly Action (J. Drury - C. Johnson) 8-1
2. Some Attitude (P. MacDonell - R. McIntosh) 5-1
3. Beyond Delight (S. Filion - T. O’Sullivan) 10-1
4. Manceiver (T. Henry - H. Okusko Jr.) 12-1
5. Bobcat Bound (Ph. Hudon - C. Jamieson) 6-1
6. Bettors Dream (D. McNair - S. McEneny) 4-5
7. Classic Pro (C. Christoforou - Dr. Moore) 20-1
8. Rock This Way (M. Baillargeon - B. Baillargeon) 20-1
9. Richard Hill (R. Waples - T. Alagna) 8-1

Race 7: Nassagaweya (Division 2) - $104,750

1. Calvin K (P. MacDonell - T. O’Sullivan) 5-2
2. Shadow Rouge (C. Christoforou - Dr. Moore) 10-1
3. Windsong Napoleon (Ph. Hudon - C. Jamieson) 5-1
4. All It Takes (D. McNair - G. McNair) 12-1
5. Macs Jackpot (S. Filion - T. O’Sullivan) 8-1
6. Darlings Dragon (D. Dupont - M. Dupont) 4-1
7. Ideal Wheel (J. Drury - C. Coleman) 2-1
8. This Is My Song (T. Henry - C. Barss) 20-1

Race 3: Eternal Camnation (Division 1) - $105,550

1. Awash (Ph. Hudon - T. Alagna) 15-1
2. Thorne Seelster (J. MacDonald - A. MacDonald) 15-1
3. Everyones Watching (S. Filion - T. Alagna) 12-1
4. Windy Sport (T. Henry - C. Coleman) 8-1
5. Candlelight Dinner (J. Drury - C. Coleman) 2-5
6. Beautiful Hill (C. Christoforou - T. Alagna) 15-1
7. Happy Hannah (R. Waples - M. Steacy) 7-2
8. Black Jack Pat (D. McNair - D. Menary) 10-1

Race 9: Eternal Camnation (Division 2) - $105,550

1. Blameitonthenight (R. Waples - T. Alagna) 7-2
2. Somemoneysomewhere (P. MacDonell - P. MacDonell) 15-1
3. Loreenas Ruffian (C. Norris - C. Norris) 6-1
4. Perplexed (C. Christoforou - T. Alagna) 10-1
5. Manhattan (M. Saftic - N. Comegna) 12-1
6. Bettors Up (J. MacDonald - S. McEneny) 7-5
7. Thats The Ticket (S. Filion - C. Ryder) 8-1
8. Fade (J. Drury - C. Coleman) 4-1

(WEG)