This morning's qualifying session from Mohawk Racetrack marked the return of the John Kopas-trained Raising Rachel, the multiple stakes-winning Yankee Glide filly that hadn't put in a charted line since October 10
, 2008.
With driver Jack Moiseyev calling the shots in Race 2, the career winner of $175,458 in purses took a pocket trip past the opening half before trotting off to a seven and a half-length victory in 1:58.2. Raising Rachel's only career loss came in the $501,600 final of the Peaceful Way Stakes last September at Mohawk Racetrack.
Yursa Hanover also contested Race 2 and was driven by trainer Normand Bardier, Jr. The three-year-old Windsongs Legacy filly was sharp to finish off her 2008 campaign and just missed winning the Breeders Crown by a nose after doing much of the road work. This morning, in what was her first charted line since the Breeders Crown mile, Yursa Hanover trotted in 2:01.
The John Kopas-trained millionaire Keystone Horatio put in his second qualifying effort off the shelf in Race 1. The four-year-old son of Rustler Hanover finished fourth and covered his mile in 1:54.2. The dash was won by the Jeff Gillis-trained Bettors Delight mare Ladycino, who stopped the clock with a 1:53 mile.
The other qualifying races were won by Northern Duchess (1:54.1), Bridgette Hanover (1:57), Maestro Springs (1:59.2), Ponder Seelster (1:56.2) and Warrawee Jade (1:58.2.).
Click here to view the charted lines.