In October of 2017, Millar Farms plunked down a cool $220,000 to acquire Mohawk Seelster, which gave the colt the distinction of being the topper of the inaugural London Selected Yearling Sale. Now, after having been forced to sit on the sidelines for the entirety of his freshman season, the colt has emerged and recorded the first charted line of his career.
It’s an understatement to say that everyone over at Millar Farms in Stouffville, Ont. has been waiting for this day. The anticipated performance took place during the Thursday morning (April 4) qualifying session over a ‘fast’ track at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Mohawk Seelster, a three-year-old colt by Sportswriter and out of the McArdle mare Macapelo Rose, took to the course for Race 7 and lined up in Post 6 (wearing saddle pad No. 7) for driver Randy Waples and trainer Eric Adams.
Waples took a cautious approach with the bay as the starting gate pulled away. The duo opted to gauge their foes from off the pace – nine lengths off the engine in fifth – as the quarter-pole time flashed to life in :29.3.
Mohawk Seelster and Waples were patient in the second quarter, as well. The duo continued to survey their competition past the :59 half-mile pole. It was on the turn, though, when Waples called for some pace.
The three-time O’Brien Award-winning reinsman tipped Mohawk Seelster out for an overland advance in the third quarter, and the duo had worked into the second-over position as the three-quarters timer came to life in 1:29.
Waples and Mohawk Seelster had some work to do in the final quarter if they wanted to slip under the wire first. The pair was three lengths off the lead at the head of the stretch, but were able to erase the deficit via a :27.3 closing quarter and get up for a head win in 1:57.
Although he had yet to record a charted line, the connections of Mohawk Seelster had opted to keep him eligible to the Woodbine Mohawk Park’s $1 million Pepsi North America Cup, which will take place in June at the picturesque Campbellville raceway. To view the list of the ‘Cup’ eligibles, click here.
The heads of three horses were present in Mohawk Seelster’s win photo, one of which belonged to Cruise Captain, a Vic Puddy-trained son of Captaintreacherous that is also eligible to the Cup. The Thursday performance was the first charted line of Cruise Captain’s 2019 campaign. The biggest win of Cruise Captain’s freshman campaign came when he defeated eventual O’Brien Award winner Stag Party in a division of the Champlain Stakes at Mohawk.
To view the harness racing results from the Thursday qualifying session at Mohawk, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).