Woodbine Mohawk Park will host the $140,500 Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (Grade 3) this Saturday, May 30 as a final tune-up opportunity ahead of the Pepsi North America Cup eliminations a week later on June 6.
A full field of 10 three-year-old pacers will clash in the Grade 3 event named for the legendary Somebeachsomewhere, winner of the 2008 North America Cup. All 10 entrants are eligible to this year’s Pepsi North America Cup (Grade 1).
Graded stakes winner Brandon Blvd headlines the Somebeachsomewhere field in post six. The Andrew Harris trainee was a standout at age two, winning seven of 10 starts and taking a mark of 1:48.4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park in a Breeders Crown elimination.
A son of Downbytheseaside-Alexis Faith, Brandon Blvd made his season debut on May 2 at Plainridge Park, winning the Paul Revere (Grade 3) easily in 1:51.1. The Harris student has not raced since, but did qualify on May 15 at The Meadowlands in 1:50.3.
Jason Bartlett lands the opportunity to drive Brandon Blvd this week, as regular driver Dexter Dunn is in Sweden to compete in the Elitloppet. (Dunn also drives a top Cup contender in Odds On Mr Mamba.)
Brandon Blvd is one of two horses shipping in from out of town for Saturday’s race. Thai Hanover is the other non-local, coming in for trainer Mitchell York and to be driven by Meadows-based reinsman Jeremy Indof.
The other eight starters all come from local barns, with seven of them being Ontario-sired.
All 10 starters likely relish the opportunity to avoid the undefeated Beau Jangles, who did not enter this week’s race as planned and will head into the North America Cup off three straight wins to start the season.
The Dan Lagace-trained Sweet Lovin Lou is a top prospect for this year’s North America Cup. The son of Sweet Lou-Lovers Dream will leave from post seven on Saturday with driver James MacDonald listed. He finished a hard-closing third in his season debut on May 16 (with a final quarter of :26.1). Sweet Lovin Lou won three of nine starts at two, only missing the top three once. He notably was third in the $1 million Metro Pace (Grade 1).
The Somebeachsomewhere also features Ontario Sires Stakes Gold starters No Waitlist, Redland Rocket Man, Borderline Mobby and Tilthecowscomehome. All four raced last Saturday in the first Gold leg of the season, with the Blake MacIntosh-trained No Waitlist finishing second to Beau Jangles.
The Somebeachsomewhere Stakes has been carded as race five this Saturday (with an approximate post time of 8:15 p.m.). The full field is listed below in post position order.
$140,500 Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (Grade 3)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Thai Hanover - Jeremy Indof - Mitchell York
2. Lyons Gustavofring - Scott Coulter - Kenneth Oliver
3. No Waitlist - Doug McNair - Blake MacIntosh
4. Scorpion Seelster - James MacDonald - Dave Menary
5. Redland Rocket Man - Louis-Philippe Roy - John Pentland
6. Brandon Blvd - Jason Bartlett - Andrew Harris
7. Sweet Lovin Lou - James MacDonald - Daniel Lagace
8. Borderline Mobby - James MacDonald - Dave Menary
9. Odds On Bullfrog - Bob McClure - Dr. Ian Moore
10. Tilthecowscomehome - Jody Jamieson - Carl Jamieson
The Graduate Series for four-year-olds will also be held on Saturday evening at Mohawk.
Both the pace and trot divisions of the Graduate received 11 entrants for the opening leg of the series. The series shifts to The Meadowlands for the remaining legs and final following Saturday’s opener.
The $101,250 Graduate Pace is headlined by Prince Hal Hanover, who is a perfect three-for-three to start his four-year-old campaign.
Trained by Dr. Ian Moore, Prince Hal Hanover captured the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup (Grade 2) on May 17 at Flamboro Downs in 1:50. He entered that final off an elimination win and a season-debut score over older rivals in the Pacey Mindlin Invite (Grade 3) on May 2 at Miami Valley Raceway in Ohio.
Prince Hal Hanover was one of the top pacers in the sport last season, earning more than $1.1 million, and has made an immediate impact at age four. His profile includes win in the Delvin Miller Adios (Grade 1) and Carl Milstein Memorial (Grade 2).
Todd McCarthy drives Prince Hal Hanover, who will start from post three.
Among Prince Hal Hanover's rivals is Canadian record holder Bruno No No No, who has won five of eight starts this season. The Dave Menary trainee was third in the Juravinski after winning his elimination in a stunning 1:48.1. Doug McNair will steer him from post two.
The Menary barn will send out five of the 11 starters.
The field for the Graduate Series Pace, which is scheduled as race nine, is listed below in post position order.
$101,250 Graduate Series Pace
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Saba Rock - Jason Bartlett - Per Engblom
2. Bruno No No No - Doug McNair - Dave Menary
3. Prince Hal Hanover - Todd McCarthy - Dr. Ian Moore
4. Ayeaye Captain Deo - Jason Bartlett - Garry Merner
5. Sugar Man - Louis-Philippe Roy - Dave Menary
6. Captain Hurley - Travis Cullen - Jodie Cullen
7. Crack Shot - Doug McNair - Gregg McNair
8. Papis Pistol - Louis-Philippe Roy - Rob Fellows
9. Lite Up The World - Mark MacDonald - Anthony Beaton
10. Waffle Blue Chip - Louis-Philippe Roy - Dave Menary
11. Fifth And Five - James MacDonald - Dave Menary
Ake Svanstedt leads all trainers with three entrants in the $101,250 Graduate Trot.
Mr Mouton (post eight), Happy Jack B (post 10) and Warrior (post 11) are the three from the Svanstedt barn, with Happy Jack B, last season’s New York Sires Stakes champion, the top earner in the field with more than $735,000 in winnings.
The Andrew Harris barn has the second highest earner in the field with $700,000+ earner Monserrate (post five), who comes in off a strong bounce-back 1:51.4 win on May 15 at The Meadowlands.
Among the local hopefuls is Mr Walner Fashion for trainer Tim Cherwaiko. The Walner-Cooler Schooner gelding has won four of five starts to begin his four-year-old season and racing career for Cherwaiko after racing at two and three in the U.S. for Jim Campbell. Scott Young drives the trotter, who will start from post two.
The full field for the Graduate Series Trot, which will go as race seven, is listed below in post position order.
$101,250 Graduate Series Trot
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Eurobank Hanover - Bob McClure - Luc Blais
2. Mr Walner Fashion - Scott Young - Tim Cherwaiko
3. Galen Erso - Doug McNair - Gregg McNair
4. Clear For Landing - Jason Bartlett - Per Engblom
5. Manoah - Bob McClure - Mark Etsell
6. Monserrate - Jason Bartlett - Andrew Harris
7. Landing On Time - Bob McClure - Rick Zeron
8. Mr Mouton - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
9. Hey Porter - Todd McCarthy - Dave Menary
10. Happy Jack B - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
11. Warrior - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
Post time for Saturday’s card is 6:30 p.m.
To view Saturday's complete harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Woodbine)