Published:
May 29, 2009 11:06 am EDT
O’Brien Award winner Federal Flex put in his first official mile of his sophomore campaign during Friday’s qualifying session at Mohawk Racetrack.
In the fourth qualifier, the son of Muscles Yankee - Scully FBI headed straight to the lead from Post 6 and drew away by a flashy 19 lengths for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Jeff Gillis. Federal Flex, last year’s Valley Victory winner, laid down panels of :31.1, 1:00 and 1:29.1 before using a :28.4 final kicker to stop the clock in 1:58.
“We were happy with his performance," Gillis told Trot Insider this afternoon. "That’s about the range we wanted to go, just a good first line of the year.”
Gillis said his pupil will qualify at least once more before heading to the Goodtimes eliminations on June 20 at Mohawk. Federal Flex will then head to the Stanley Dancer and the Hambletonian if everything goes according to plan.
Jamieson also sent millionaire Dali postward for his second qualifier of the year in the first. The four-year-old son of Real Artist – Armbro Tea left the gate from post position six then carved out fractions of :29, :58 and 1:26.2 before kicking home in :27.3. Last year’s Matron Stakes winner stopped the clock in 1:54 with a one and a half-length lead on the field for trainer Duane Marfisi.
Also making his second qualifying start in the same race, the Casie Coleman-trained Art Colony finished three lengths back in third off a pocket trip with Randy Waples in the bike. The three-year-old son of Artsplace – Asleep Onthe Beach clocked his mile in 1:54.3.
After Cheryl Bloomfield’s Speed Demon was a no show during Monday’s session, driver Roger Mayotte made his first start back in the bike since the March 2 accident at Woodbine Racetrack. The resident of Mississauga, Ont. is scheduled to make his pari-mutual debut this Saturday at Mohawk in the 11th race aboard his stable star and double millionaire Escape The Wind.
In the sixth qualifier, Mystic River, a winner of this year's first Ontario Sires Stakes Gold final for three-year-old trotting fillies, took the lead before the third quarter pole and used a :29.4 final frame to prevail by 14 lengths in 2:00.2. The daughter of Kadabra – Celebrity Belle was driven by Jamieson for trainer Kevin O'Reilly.
Click here to view the complete results from the qualifying session.
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