Only six races faced the starting gate during the Monday (April 25) qualifying session at Mohawk Racetrack, but the session did see a pair of N.A. Cup eligible colts hit the wire first in their respective tilts.
Beast Mode had his game face on for trainer Robert Reid in Race 4. The three-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven started from Post 1, was first at every call and recorded a 10 and a half-length victory in 1:54 over the ‘fast’ track. Sylvain Filion was in the sulky for the dash. Beast Mode cut the tractions in :26.4, :56.3 and 1:26.3 and came home with a :27.2 final quarter.
Beast Mode was winless in his seven starts last season as a two-year-old. Given his rookie record, it is not surprising that he was assessed as a 100-1 shot in Trot Magazine’s 2016 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book. Beast Mode has won three of his five starts thus far this season. His last pari-mutuel start came on April 14 at Mohawk Racetrack. Beast Mode was commanding in the dash, which was a conditioned event. He started from Post 10 and drew away from his rivals for a lifetime-best 1:51.4 clocking. Beast Mode is owned by Christopher Nicol of Waterdown, Ont. and was a $5,000 yearling purchase in the fall of 2014.
The other ‘Cup’ eligible that was in action was Dreamfair Mesa, and, like Beast Mode, he was dominant. The son of Somebeachsomewhere started from Post 7 in Race 6. Dreamfair Mesa, who is trained by Pat Fletcher, recorded a wire-to-wire win in 1:54.2, which was a mark-lowering effort. The fractions were cut in :28.3, :58.1 and 1:27. Dreamfair Mesa closed out his mile with a :27.2 quarter for pilot Chris Christoforou.
Dreamfair Mesa was pegged at odds of 60-1 in Trot’s spring book. He is a homebred of John Lamers of Ingersoll, Ont. Dreamfair Mesa was unraced as a two-year-old and has made five starts thus far this season. His slate reads 1-1-1 and he has banked just over $14,000 in purses.
For more information regarding what ‘Cup’ eligible horses have been up to, click here.
To view the harness racing results for Monday’s qualifying session at Mohawk, click the following link: Monday Results – Mohawk Racetrack (Qualifiers).