Grand Circuit racing action, which showcases harness racing’s best competitors, starts up on Saturday, May 31 at Woodbine Mohawk Park with the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (Grade 3) and the Graduate Series.
The Somebeachsomewhere for three-year-old pacers is Mohawk's first graded stakes event of the season, categorized as a Grade 3 race, and is the final prep ahead of the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup.
The Graduate Series for four-year-olds kicks off with its first leg at Mohawk before shifting to The Meadowlands in New Jersey.
Here are a few highlights in each of Saturday’s stakes:
Race 2 - $80,500 Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (div.)
Ayeaye Captain Dee (Post 5), driven by Bob McClure and trained by Garry Merner, is Canada’s fastest three-year-old of the season, courtesy of a 1:49.2 victory in his last start on May 24.
Prince Hal Hanover (Post 7), driven by David Miller and trained by Dr. Ian Moore, is ranked #9 in Woodbine's latest “Road to the Pepsi North America Cup” rankings and is entering the Somebeachsomewhere off a 1:49.3 victory in a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes division on May 17.
D A Love Boat (Post 2), driven by Louis-Philippe Roy and trained by Jack Darling, and American Son (Post 4), driven by Dexter Dunn and trained by Chris Ryder, are both top 10 ranked Cup contenders in TROT Magazine's Spring Book.
Race 4 - $68,000 Graduate Series – Pace
Trainer Travis Alexander sends out a pair of starters, each of which earned big money at age three. Howlenthehills (Post 2), driven by Matt Kakaley, made more than $760,000 last season and was most recently second in the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup on May 18 at Flamboro Downs. Huntingforchrome (Post 6), driven by James MacDonald, is making his first start of the season after earning more than $360,000 in 2024.
Race 6 - $102,000 Graduate Series – Trot
Trainer Ake Svanstedt will send out four of the nine entrants, with all four making their first start of the season. Amazing Catch (Post 6), driven by Dexter Dunn, returns to the scene of his biggest victory to date in last year’s $713,000 Canadian Trotting Classic. Warrawee Michelle (Post 3), driven by Svanstedt, was last year’s Hambletonian Oaks winner and is one of two mares in the field. Svanstedt also sends out Mr Bluebird (Post 5), driven by Matt Kakaley, and Daiquiri Hanover (Post 8), driven by Andy Miller.
Race 8 - $81,500 Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (div.)
Lite Up The World (Post 6), driven by James MacDonald and trained by Anthony Beaton, is ranked eighth in Woodbine's latest “Road to the Pepsi North America Cup” and is a perfect two-for-two this season.
Another top 10 ranked Cup contender in TROT Magazine's Spring Book, Papis Pistol (Post 7), driven by Andy Miller and trained by Sam DePinto, is making his first start of the season after earning more than $255,000 at age two, when he raced in the finals of the Metro, Breeders Crown and Governor’s Cup, and won the Kindergarten.
Race 10 - $68,000 Graduate Series – Pace
Funtime Bayama (Post 1), driven by Dexter Dunn and trained by Andrew Harris, is set for his first start since winning the Canadian Graduate Series final on May 3 at Mohawk.
Calicojack Hanover (Post 2), driven by Tyler Jones and trained by Luc Blais, enters the Graduate off a victory in the $247,500 Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup at Flamboro.
Nijinsky (Post 6), driven by Louis-Philippe Roy and trained by Anthony Beaton, is set for his second start of the season after an O'Brien Award-winning three-year-old campaign that included a triumph in the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup.
First race post time is 6:35 p.m.
To download a free program for Saturday’s races, click here.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Woodbine; photo of Nijinsky winning the 2024 North America Cup)