A talented group of 19 three-year-old pacers have been split into a pair of $75,000 divisions for this Saturday’s Somebeachsomewhere Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack.
A stacked 11-race card has been assembled for Saturday, which , along with the Somebeachsomewhere, will also feature a leg of the Graduate Series for four-year-olds and an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold event for sophomore pacing fillies.
The Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (previously known as the Burlington Stakes) serves as the final local prep before the Pepsi North America Cup eliminations (which will take place on June 11). Of the 19 horses in this year’s Somebeachsomewhere Stakes, 17 are eligible to the ‘Cup.’
The first division Saturday is headlined by several of last year’s standout rookies and OSS top stars.
OSS Super Final champion Betting Line (PP2, Jonathan Drury) will be looking for his second win in what will be the third start of his season. The Casie Coleman trainee won his last start on May 21 at Mohawk in 1:49.4 and paced a :52.2 back-half.
Voracity (PP5, Brett Miller), a winner of over $298,000, and Nvestment Bluechip (PP9, Jody Jamieson), third-place finisher in last year’s Breeders Crown and winner of over $368,000, join their OSS rival in the first split.
Trainer Tony Alagna will not only send out Voracity in the first division, but also Grand Circuit winner American Passport (PP3, Scott Zeron). The son of American Ideal posted three consecutive victories last season in Grand Circuit events, including a pair at the Red Mile.
Michaels Victory (PP7, Sylvain Filion) and Magnum J (PP10, Doug McNair) are both coming off sires stakes victories in New Jersey and Ontario.
Stonebridge Beach (PP1, Sylvain Filion), Flaherty (PP4, Trevor Henry), Dreamfair Mesa (PP6, Randy Waples) and Some Gold (PP8, James MacDonald) complete the field of ten for the first division.
Metro Pace and O’Brien Award winner Control The Moment (PP4, Randy Waples) headlines the second division.
The Brad Maxwell trainee is making his 2016 debut after a pair of qualifiers at Mohawk. The son of Well Said won eight of nine starts last season, banked over $461,000 and took a mark of 1:49.4 at Mohawk.
Also in the second split, Alagna trainee Highlandbeachycove (PP9, Scott Zeron) will look to improve to three for three to start his sophomore season; Mark Silva trainee Lyons Snyder (PP3, Sylvain Filion) is coming off a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes victory in 1:49.4 at Pocono; and Dave Menary trainee Major Hill (PP6, Jody Jamieson) is entering off a 1:50.4 winning performance last week at Mohawk.
The field of nine is completed by Bettor Memories (PP1, Chris Christoforou), Arsenic (PP2, Doug McNair), Nocturnal Bluechip (PP5, Paul MacDonell), Cruise Patrol (PP7, James MacDonald) and Brookdale Sonny (PP8, Sylvain Fillion).
The Somebeachsomewhere divisions have been carded as races six and eight.
Also on Saturday, the Graduate Series makes a stop at the Campbellville oval.
A field of 11 four-year-old trotters will compete in the Graduate Trot, while a group of seven four-year-olds will battle in the Graduate Pace. Each race will carry a purse of $98,250.
Local standout Musical Rhythm (PP5, Mario Baillargeon) stars in the Graduate Trot. The Ben Baillargeon trainee had his 11-race win streak snapped in the first leg of the series on May 21 at the Meadowlands Racetrack. However, the son of Cantab Hall has won 13 of his last 14 starts on the WEG circuit.
The Graduate Trot field also includes Ron Burke trainee Crazy Wow (PP8, Matt Kakaley), a winner of over $1.3 million, and first leg winner Crazshana (PP10, James MacDonald) from the Jeff Bamond barn.
The Graduate Pace is headlined by Breeders Crown champion Freaky Feet Pete (PP5, Scott Zeron). The Larry Rheinheimer trainee has won 27 of 31 career starts and will be making his first trip back to Canada since his Crown triumph at Woodbine Racetrack last October.
Freaky Feet Pete, a winner of over $1.2 million, has won three of four starts this season and is entering the Graduate off a third-place finish in the Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield.
The field of seven also includes last year’s Adios winner Dudes The Man (PP4, Jody Jamieson). The Howard Okusko Jr. trainee won his season debut Monday afternoon at Vernon Downs in 1:49.4.
Dudes The Man hit the board in almost half of his 21 starts last season and earned over $715,000.
The Graduate Trot has been carded as the fifth-race, while the Graduate Pace is the evening’s ninth race.
The first OSS Gold event of the season at Mohawk will also highlight Saturday’s card. A group of 16 sophomore pacing fillies have been split into two $105,000 divisions.
Fresh off a victory in the SBOA Stakes, Dr. Ian Moore trainee Good Will Hanover will look to keep her momentum rolling in the first split. O’Brien Award winner L A Delight, who suffered her first loss in 12 starts last Saturday, will look to get back on track in the second division for trainer Bob McIntosh.
Not to be overshadowed by all the stakes action, an impressive group of older pacers will square off in the $34,000 Preferred (Race 4). State Treasurer, Nickle Bag, Shamballa and Evenin Of Pleasure are just a few of the notables in the field of nine for the Preferred.
Post time for Saturday’s stakes-packed card of racing is 7:30 p.m.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Mohawk, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.
(WEG)
Excellent card of racing on
Excellent card of racing on Saturday...