World Record holder Pretty Katherine paced to her second consecutive win in a Mohawk Racetrack qualifying race Friday morning at the Campbellville, Ont. oval, but it was another Casie Coleman trainee that was making big
strides toward getting back to the races.
Six-year-old Grinfromeartoear gelding Clowns Smile hasn't taken part in a pari-mutuel event since November 7, 2009, but the career winner of 17 races and $413,443 in purses recorded his second qualifying mile in as many weeks this morning at Mohawk.
With driver Mark MacDonald at the gelding's controls in Race 5, Clowns Smile fired out from Post 6 and was first to every call. He cut the opening quarter in :29.2, the half in :57.4 and the three-quarters of a mile mark in 1:26.3. He cruised home with a :28.3 final quarter and paced to an 11-length win in 1:55.1.
Two-year-old Rocknroll Hanover filly Pretty Katherine, who was victorious by a nose in a 1:55.3 qualifier last week, got the job done again this week.
MacDonald was at Pretty Katherine's controls in Race 4. After having sat in second during the opening quarter, the winner of five of six races and $300,578 took command of the lead along the backstretch and went on to hang on for a one-and-a-quarter-length win in 1:56.2.
The Coleman/MacDonald combo clicked for another win during the session. Ohmygosh Hanover, a two-year-old gelded son of The Panderosa, romped by more than seven lengths in a 1:55.2.
To view the charted results from the qualifying session, click here.