After having taken roughly a one-month break from the racetrack, three-year-old Real Artist colt Keep It Real was back in action this morning during the seven-race qualifying session at Mohawk Racetrack
.
The $306,900 earner, which went unraced as a two-year-old, competed in the Breeders Crown at Woodbine Racetrack on October 24 and made one start afterward on October 31. Since then the student of trainer Joey Shea hadn't seen the racetrack in a charted sense until this morning.
The track was rated 'good' this morning and two seconds slow.
Strutting out to take part in the sixth qualifying mile of the morning, Keep It Real started from the rail and sat fourth through the opening quarter and half, which were cut in :28.3 and :57.2.
With Mark MacDonald at Keep It Real's lines, the bay was third by one length at the 1:27.1 three-quarters pole and second by one length at the head of the homestretch.
Keep It Real, a winner in the Burlington Stakes this year, went on to pass the leader and open up lengths in the lane, as he posted a three-length win in 1:58 off a :30.3 final quarter.
The qualifying session was kicked off with three straight gate-to-wire winners; as Secret Meeting (2:02) took the opener for Phil Hudon, Miss Sand Creek (1:59.4) topped the second dash, and Wonderful Race (2:00.4) snared the third dash.
Driven by Paul MacDonell, Ponder Seelster (1:58.2) reigned supreme in Race 4 via a quarter-pole move, while the Mark MacDonald-driven Dancing Filly (2:03) stepped to an open-length score in Race 5.
Xtra Perfect (2:00.4) and driver Bill O'Donnell drew off on their foes in Race 7 with a five and a quarter-length win from the garden spot.
To view the charted harness racing results from the Mohawk qualifying session, click here.