Lucky Man, Aracache Hanover Tussle

Last season's Confederation Cup winner, Aracache Hanover, made his foray into the aged ranks during Mohawk Racetrack's Thursday, April 21 qualifying session. But the move into the older crowd is never easy

-- especially when stock the likes of Lucky Man and Voelz Hanover are laying in wait.

The talented trio met during the seventh dash of the nine-race qualifying docket, which was contested over a 'fast' track.

Lucky Man, a six-year-old Camluck gelding, showed all of his rivals how to get it done during the dash, as the Open warrior cut all the fractions (:28.3, :57.4, 1:25.4) closed with :28.2 final-quarter speed, and tossed up a winning margin of seven and three-quarter lengths in the 1:54.1 mile. The qualifier was the second of the season for the Mark MacDonald-driven Casie Coleman trainee.

Although he was defeated by more than seven lengths, Aracache Hanover, the 2010 Windy City Pace victor, held his own in his aged charted debut. The four-year-old Dragon Again horse started from Post 6, was fourth through the opening half-mile, and was a third-over sixth at the third call. The colt fired off his cover and ended up second in the tilt.

Voelz Hanover, driven by Mario Baillargeon for trainer Ben Baillargeon, was also making her seasonal charted debut in the affair. The six-year-old daughter of Astreos, a career winner of 19 races and $951,814, sat third through the opening half-mile before finishing fifth. She was individually timed in 1:56.1.

The last race on the docket (Race 9) saw a clash between a pair of Pepsi North America Cup-eligible Bettors Delight colts, both of whom were making their seasonal charted debuts. Both colts have been gauged at odds of 55-1 in Trot Magazine's 2011 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book.

Driven by Mark MacDonald for trainer Casie Coleman, Betterthancheddar ended up taking Race 9 in 1:57.4 after a stretch duel with the Ben Wallace-trained and Mario Baillargeon-driven Bettors Green, who finished second by three-quarters of a length and was timed in 1:58.

Notes

Trained by Casie Coleman and driven by Mark MacDonald, Mach Three colt A And Gs Express (85-1 in Spring Book) made his three-year-old charted debut in Race 5. The colt sat more than 10 lengths off the tempo through the opening half-mile, but came on in the late stages to finish two lengths in arrears to the winner (My Man Charley, 1:59.4) and pace in 2:00.

The four-year-old Grinfromeartoear mare Tiz A Dream recorded her first charted line of the season in Race 1 for trainer Gregg McNair and driver Doug McNair. The career earner of $681,578 finished fifth and paced in 1:57.4.

The Casie Coleman-trained and Mark MacDonald-driven Eternal Camnation Stakes division winner Mater Deo made her three-year-old charted debut in Race 3. The career earner of $72,239 finished third in the dash and was timed in 1:56.1.

A pair of stakes-winning trotting mares made their seasonal charted debuts in Race 4, as Yursa Hanover and Emmylou Who both put in miles. Driven by Mario Baillargeon for trainer Ben Baillargeon, five-year-old Windsongs Legacy mare Yursa Hanover trotted in 2:00 and finished a half-length in second to the Rick Zeron-trained and driven Windsong Geant. Driven by her trainer, Lyle MacArthur, four-year-old Ken Warkentin mare Emmylou Who made a break behind the gate, spotted the leader 25 lengths, but came on in the mile to finish within eight lengths and trotted in 2:01.3.

For results from Mohawk's Thursday qualifying session, please click the following link: Thursday Results - Mohawk Racetrack (Qualifiers).