The Fall Four stakes eliminations continued on Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack with two-year-old male trotters and pacers vying for a spot in next weekend's Valley Victory and Governor's Cup finals.
Whataworkout and driver Scott Zeron pulled off a 21-1 upset to kick off the Valley Victory stakes eliminations.
Leaving from post seven, Whataworkout was forced to take back into a pocket spot by the inside leaver Pinkman (Yannick Gingras) during the :27.2 first quarter and was shuffled back to fourth with The Bank (Jimmy Takter) and favourite Uncle Lasse (Ron Pierce) taking turns on the lead through middle splits of :57.1 and 1:26.4. Zeron sent Whataworkout on the attack approaching the third quarter mark with Big Rich (Randy Waples) following and fanning wide for the stretch drive. Whatworkout eventually wore down Uncle Lasse in the final strides to prevail by a neck in a new lifetime mark of 1:56.3. Big Rich closed for third with Uncle Lasse's stablemates Pinkman and The Bank also advancing to the final.
Whataworkout earned just his second win in four starts. The Muscle Hill-Southwind Sofia colt was purchased for $155,000 at the Harrisburg Sale as a yearling by Lindy Farms Of Connecticut and is trained by Frank Antonacci.
Whataworkout paid $44.20 to win.
Habitat delivered on his 2-5 pari-mutuel promise in the next Valley Victory elimination as he cleared to command past the quarter pole and drew off to a two and three-quarter length victory in 1:55.4.
Leaving from post eight, Habitat and driver Yannick Gingras worked to the lead through the :27.3 first quarter, clearing ahead of early leaver and eventual breaker Whom Shall I Fear (Ron Pierce). As he led the way past the half in :58 and three-quarters in 1:26.4, Aldebaran Eagle (Corey Callahan) advanced first over from fifth with Jetpedia (Mike Saftic) moving up on his cover. However, Habitat drew clear into the stretch to secure the victory. Jetpedia came on for second while Aldebaran Eagle edged out Walter White (Scott Zeron) for third. Iron (Brian Sears) finished fifth to earn the last spot in next weekend's final.
Habitat is already a multiple stakes winner with victories in the Champlain Stakes, William Wellwood Memorial Trot and Bluegrass Series under his belt. The Ron Burke trainee has six wins in nine starts and boasts a bankroll of nearly $350,000.
The Conway Hall-Habits Best colt, who was a $50,000 Lexington Selected Sale yearling purchase, is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Our Horse Cents Stables and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Habitat paid $2.90 to win.
Lyons Again pulled off a 14-1 upset with a maiden-breaking score for Gingras and Burke in the first Governor's Cup elimination.
Lyons Again fired off the gate from post nine and established the lead through a :26.3 opening panel, but his barn buddy Lyons Levi Lewis (Sylvain Filion) pulled the pocket at the quarter pole and took over command. Lyons Again played follow-the-leader through :56.1 and 1:23.3 middle fractions while Lyons Levis Lewis battled back on top against first over attacker Rufo (Ron Pierce). Down the stretch, Lyons Again overtook his fading stablemate and held off the late-closers for the 1:52.4 three-quarter length victory. Traceur Hanover (Randy Waples) closed along the pylons for second while 4-5 favourite Lost For Words (Doug McNair) rallied wide off cover to grab third-place honours two lengths behind. Go Daddy Go (Corey Callahan) and Migrate Blue Chip (Rick Zeron) rounded out the top five finishers.
While the win was his first, Lyons Again has hit the board in six of his eight starts to earn close to $175,000. Among his top three finishes are a pair of runner-up efforts in the Nassagaweya and Champlain Stakes and a third-place showing in the Metro Pace.
The Dragons Again-A Filly To Fear colt was purchased for $20,000 at the Harrisburg Sale by Geoffrey Lyons Mound of Brantford, Ont.
Lyons Again returned $30.50 to win.
There was another double-digit upset in the second Governor's Cup elimination as Pierce Hanover prevailed at odds of 13-1 with Jody Jamieson catch-driving.
Blood Brother (Yannick Gingras) was the first to get a call leaving quickly from post six. He raced to the first quarter in :27.4 with Pierce Hanover following and Arque Hanover (Steve Condren) making an early move from third. Arque Hanover brushed by and led the field past the half in :55.4 with the outer flow developing. Pierce Hanover was flushed first up nearing the 1:24 three-quarters mark and wore down Arque Hanover into the stretch en route to the 1:52.1 victory with Blood Brother shaking loose and chasing him home one length behind in second. Artspeak, the 1-5 favourite, got rough-gaited again while racing second over around the final turn, but was able to regroup to finish third. Arque Hanover finished fourth and Lancaster Park (James MacDonald) was fifth.
Pierce Hanover was purchased for $38,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale as a yearling by Ontario owners Ralph Sucee of Oshawa and Ken Sucee of Bowmanville. Ken also handles the training duties on the Cams Card Shark-Panned Out colt, who has won four of his 10 starts and close to $63,000 in purses.
Pierce Hanover paid $28.10 to win.
Saturday's undercard featured the $30,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace in which even-money favourite American In Paris wired a field scratched down to six with millionairess Voelz Hanover out sick. She romped to the four and a half length victory in 1:51.4 with Chris Christoforou along for the ride. The four-year-old American Ideal mare has finished first or second in her last seven Preferred starts for trainer Murray Brethour and owner Doug Millard of Woodstock, Ont. Bullet Point (Trevor Henry) followed in second and sophomore filly Nat A Virgin (Jody Jamieson) finished third.
Post position draw results are listed below for the $521,000 Valley Victory and $565,000 Governor's Cup, which will be contested next Saturday, October 25 at Woodbine along with the companion filly stakes events, the $424,000 Three Diamonds and $464,000 Goldsmith Maid. For recaps, replays and post position draws from Friday's filly eliminations, click here.
$521,000 Valley Victory
1. Pinkman
2. Uncle Lasse
3. Whataworkout
4. Habitat
5. Aldebaran Eagle
6. Jetpedia
7. The Bank
8. Walter White
9. Big Rich
10. Iron
AE1. Lookslikeachpndale
$565,000 Governor's Cup
1. Lancaster Park
2. Pierce Hanover
3. Lyons Again
4. Arque Hanover
5. Lost For Words
6. Artspeak
7. Go Daddy Go
8. Migrate Blue Chip
9. Blood Brother
10. Traceur Hanover
AE1. Lyons Levis Lewis
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.