The morning qualifying sessions at Mohawk Racetrack continue to feature highly-regarded pacers and trotters getting set to embark on three-year-old campaigns.
Stubborn Belle won the 2014 O'Brien Award as Canada's best two-year-old trotting filly and she made her 2015 debut on Monday. The three-year-old daughter of Taurus Dream and driver Paul MacDonell did all the work in their qualifier, carving out fractions of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:27.3 before trotting home in :28.4 to hold off Aspen California (Anthony MacDonald) in a time of 1:56.2.
A winner of five of 14 starts at two with $524,686 in purse earnings, Stubborn Belle (Taurus Dream-Musetta Hanover) is trained by John Bax for his Parkhill Stud Farm and Al Libfeld.
Jetpedia was the runner-up in last year's William Wellwood Final but he was first across the wire in his three-year-old qualifying debut. Eventually clearing to the lead for co-owner and driver Mike Saftic, Jetpedia was a comfortable three-plus length winner in a time of 1:57.2
Also owned by trainer Gregg McNair and Bloomingwood Farms Ltd., Jetpedia (Muscle Hill - Baker Black Jet) banked more than $124,000 as a rookie.
Marcel Barrieau made a rare appearance in the sulky at Mohawk's qualifying session, guiding North America Cup-eligible Drachan Hanover. The son of Jeremes Jet popped pocket and sprinted home in :26.4 to trip the timer in 1:53.4.
Barrieau trains Drachan Hanover (Jeremes Jet - Driven To Sin) for owners Lloyd Maclean and Kenneth Rankin of Nova Scotia. A winner of three starts from eight outings at two -- including a runner-up finish to Reverend Hanover in the 2014 OSS Super Final -- Drachan Hanover banked more than $157,000 as a freshman and received odds of 32-1 in the Trot 2015 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book.
Another Super Final runner-up, trotting colt Platoon Seelster (with Ryan Holliday up) made a statement in his Monday qualifier. After making his seasonal debut at Southern Oaks Training Centre a month ago, the son of Federal Flex was in fine form with a 15-plus length score in 1:58.1 over his qualifying rivals.
David Holliday trains Platoon Seelster (Federal Flex - Personal Hanover) for owners Caroline Holliday and Dennis Hannath. In just six seasonal starts, Platoon Seelster finished first or second five times and banked $142,000.
Looking to rebound off a frustrating season, 2013 O'Brien Award winner Precocious Beauty was an impressive 1:54.4 winner in her first qualifier of 2015 for James Avritt and Team McNair (driver Doug and trainer Gregg), more than 10 lengths better than her closest rivals.
To view the charted results for all of Monday's qualifiers, click the following link: Monday Qualifiers - Mohawk Racetrack
(Photo, clockwise from top left: Stubborn Belle (New Image Media), Jetpedia (New Image Media), Platoon Seelster (Stacey Wight), Drachan Hanover (New Image Media))