The finest two-year-olds in harness racing will take centre stage this Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack, as the Fall Four Stakes highlight a $2.1-million card.
The $565,000 Governors Cup, the $521,000 Valley Victory, the $464,000 Goldsmith Maid and the $424,000 Three Diamonds make up the Fall Four Stakes, which star the best youngsters in the sport.
The Fall Four Stakes were established during the mid to late 1980s at Garden State Park in New Jersey. This Saturday will be the sixth time that the Woodbine Entertainment Group has played host to the Fall Four.
Multiple World Champions and divisional leaders will be on display in the four finals this Saturday evening.
The Governors Cup for two-year-old pacers was established in 1985 and over the years many of the sport’s greats have won the prestigious event, including Artsplace, Western Hanover and Life Sign.
This year’s edition of the Governors Cup is headlined by Metro Pace winner Artspeak.
The son of Western Ideal made a break on the final turn in his elimination, but recovered to make up ground in the stretch and finish third.
Artspeak (PP6), who will be driven by Scott Zeron for trainer Tony Alagna, is a seven-time winner from nine starts and has earned $523,227 in his rookie season.
Lyons Again (PP3) and Pierce Hanover (PP2) were both upset winners in last Saturday’s eliminations.
Lyons Again broke his maiden with his 14-1 upset victory, while Pierce Hanover was a 13-1 surprise winner in his split.
A son of Dragon Again, Lyons Again will be driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ron Burke. Despite having only one victory on his resume, Lyons Again has a bankroll of over $174,000 from eight starts this season.
Pierce Hanover is a four-time winner from 10 starts for career earnings of $62,688.
The son of Cams Card Shark will be driven by Jody Jamieson for trainer Ken Sucee, who shares ownership with his brother, Ralph.
The Governors Cup will take place as Race 7 Saturday night.
The Goldsmith Maid for two-year-old trotting fillies was first contested in 1990. CR Kay Suzie, Peaceful Way and Passionate Glide are just some of the top trotters to have captured the event.
Looking to add her name to the impressive list of champions is World Champion Mission Brief (PP4)
The Burke trainee captured her elimination last Friday in 1:54.4 and was making her first start since becoming the fastest two-year-old trotter of all-time when she won at the Red Mile in 1:50.3 on October 2.
The daughter of Muscle Hill will be driven by Gingras, who was happy with her performance in the elimination.
“She was very good, wrapped up and had plenty of trot left,” said Gingras. “She had been off a few weeks, so I think next week will be even better and she will be at her best.”
Mission Brief has won seven of 10 starts for earnings of $327,400.
Gingras and Burke also teamed up in the other elimination to win with Gatka Hanover.
A daughter of Muscle Massive, Gatka Hanover (PP3) turned in arguably her best performance to date in her elimination and impressed her driver.
“She beat a great filly in Jolene Jolene rather easily so I was impressed with her.”
Gatka Hanover has won five of 11 starts for earnings of $160,068.
The Goldsmith Maid has been carded as Race 3 Saturday evening.
Established in 1990, the Valley Victory for two-year-old trotters has been captured by top trotters Donerail, Lindy Lane and Deweycheatumnhowe.
The team of Gingras and Burke will once again team up in the Valley Victory, this time with William Wellwood Memorial winner Habitat.
A son of Conway Hall, Habitat (PP4) won his third consecutive race in last Saturday’s elimination by almost three lengths.
Habitat has won six of nine starts for career earnings of just under $350,000.
The other elimination winner, Whataworkout (PP3), is also the most lightly raced trotter in the field.
A son of Muscle Hill, Whataworkout will be making only his fifth career start this Saturday. The Frank Antonacci trainee has two wins in four starts for earnings of over $27,000.
Scott Zeron will be at the controls of Whataworkout.
The Valley Victory will take place as Race 5.
The Three Diamonds for two-year-old pacing fillies was first held in 1989 and has been won by top fillies such as Miss Easy, Immortality and Worldly Beauty.
Arguably the top two-year-old in all of harness racing, JK Shesalady, headlines the field of 10 for the Three Diamonds.
A daughter of Art Major, JK Shesalady won her elimination last Friday to improve her career record to a perfect nine for nine.
Trained by Nancy Johansson and driven by Gingras, JK Shesalady’s biggest victory of the season came in the $480,000 Shes A Great Lady final at Mohawk on August 30.
The undefeated filly has banked $457,350 this season.
Looking to hand JK Shesalady her first defeat is the other elimination winner, The Show Returns.
Trained by Chris Ryder and driven by Zeron, The Show Returns won her elimination last week for her fourth win in nine starts this season.
A daughter of Rocknroll Hanover, The Show Returns biggest victory of the season was in a division of the Champlain Stakes at Mohawk on September 6.
The Show Returns has earned just over $106,000 this season.
The Three Diamonds has been carded as Race 9 Saturday evening.
First-race post time for the 13-race card Saturday evening is 7:25 p.m.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Woodbine, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Woodbine Racetrack.
The full fields for Saturday night’s Fall Four Stakes finals appear below.
Race 3 – Goldsmith Maid – Purse: $464,000
(Post – Horse - Driver)
1. Jolene Jolene – Brian Sears
2. Demons N Diamonds – Scott Zeron
3. Gatka Hanover – Yannick Gingras
4. Mission Brief – Yannick Gingras
5. Flirting Filly – Ron Pierce
6. Smexi – Corey Callahan
7. Stubborn Belle – Paul MacDonell
8. Juanitas Fury – Paul MacDonell
9. Tymal Illbthere – Trevor Henry
10. Danielle Hall – Jody Jamieson
AE: Lilu Hanover – Scott Zeron
Race 5 – Valley Victory – Purse: $521,000
(Post – Horse - Driver)
1. Pinkman – Sylvain Filion
2. Uncle Lasse – Ron Pierce
3. Whataworkout – Scott Zeron
4. Habitat – Yannick Gingras
5. Aldebaran Eagle – Corey Callahan
6. Jetpedia – Mike Saftic
7. The Bank – Jimmy Takter
8. Walter White – Brian Sears
9. Big Rich – Randy Waples
10. Iron – Brian Sears
AE: Lookslikeachpndale – Sylvain Filion
Race 7 – Governors Cup – Purse: $565,000
(Post – Horse - Driver)
1. Lancaster Park – James MacDonald
2. Pierce Hanover – Jody Jamieson
3. Lyons Again – Yannick Gingras
4. Arque Hanover – Steve Condren
5. Lost For Words – Doug McNair
6. Artspeak – Scott Zeron
7. Go Daddy Go – Corey Callahan
8. Migrate Blue Chip – Rick Zeron
9. Blood Brother – Sylvain Filion
10. Traceur Hanover – Randy Waples
AE: Lyons Levi Lewis – Sylvain Filion
Race 9 – Three Diamonds – Purse: $424,000
(Post – Horse - Driver)
1. Happy Becky – Chris Christoforou
2. The Show Returns – Scott Zeron
3. Jk Shesalady – Yannick Gingras
4. Float On By – James MacDonald
5. Solar Sister – Scott Zeron
6. Ideal Nuggets – Sylvain Filion
7. Rock Her World – James MacDonald
8. Band Of Angels – Yannick Gingras
9. Zip Code Envy – Ron Pierce
10. Shakai Hanover – Jody Jamieson
AE: Storm Point – Ron Pierce
(WEG)