Pepsi North America Cup hopeful Apprentice Hanover won his Monday evening qualifier at Woodbine Racetrack, and he did so in a solid clocking of 1:55.2.
Apprentice Hanover, who was third in last year’s $1 million Metro Pace Final, was a six-length winner in his first appearance of the season for trainer Ben Wallace. The three-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere-Allamerican Nadia, who was purchased privately last summer by Brad Grant of Milton, ON, got away fourth for driver Jody Jamison before making a first-over attack on the leaders on the way to the three-quarter pole. With fractions of :27.3, :58.2 and 1:28.2 in front of him, the colt powered home in :26.4 to produce the winning effort.
The youngster put together a 5-1-2 record from 10 starts as a rookie while banking more than $265,000 in the process. He took a lifetime mark of 1:49.4 winning his elimination of last year’s Metro Pace. He also won his $86,550 division of the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile.
China Pearls stepped up her speed in her second qualifier of the year for trainer Carmen Hie. The O’Brien Award-winning homebred sat second at the quarter-pole before rushing to the lead for driver Randy Waples. He sent the five-year-old daughter of Kadabra-Pure Sable through middle splits of :58.4 and 1:28 before using a :27.4 closing quarter to win the tilt by 11-3/4 lengths in a time of 1:55.4. She was a qualifying winner in 1:58.2 one week earlier.
The 11-time winner, who is owned by Carman Hie Stable Inc, Blake Anthony, Peter Kloepfer and Ted Murrell, has banked more than $625,000 in her career.
The other qualifying winners on Monday evening were Alphadoodle (1:58.3), Joeythewarhorse (1:55), Marlee B (1:57.4), D Terminata (1:53.1) along with Northern Victory and R Raised Emotions (1:57.2), who dead-heated for the top spot in their qualifier.
To view results for Monday's qualifier, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.