Speed isn't everything in harness racing, but it's certainly a solid measuring stick in the Standardbred world.
Eight days ago, a two-year-old pacer by the name of Quickaway paced the fastest mile by a freshman in 2025 with a 1:53.2 qualifier at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Six days later, that same horse was an impressive winner in his pari-mutuel debut at Yonkers Raceway — handily winning his $104,459 New York Sire Stakes division.
It's only June, so Quickaway's claim to fame as the fastest two-year-old in North America was sure to be short-lived. Meet the new season's leader: Beau Jangles, and fans of harness racing will certainly be eager for that one's upcoming pari-mutuel debut.
Beau Jangles and driver Louis-Philippe Roy clocked not only the fastest mile of the morning but arguably the most impressive. Leading at every step of the mile, Beau Jangles breezed through panels of :28.3 and :59.1 with a sizable advantage at the half and then bolted away from rivals with a :53.4 back half — final quarter in :26.3 — for the 1:53 effort that was charted more than 20 lengths better than his closest rival, P L Taco (Bob McClure). That mile time shaved two-fifths of a second off the mark of Quickaway as the fastest from a rookie this season.
Owned by Graham Grace Stables LLC of Clifton, Va., Jonathan Roberts of Laplata, Md. and Bolton Stables of Clermont, Fl., Beau Jangles (Cattlewash - Mrs Major Hill) was a $90,278 Harrisburg purchase from breeder Tara Hills Stud Ltd.
Beau Jangles was one of four winners for trainer Dr. Ian Moore on Saturday after the Hall of Famer sent out three winners on Friday. Moore and Roy also teamed to tally victories with Brindle (1:54.4) in the fourth and Dad (1:55.2) in the ninth before Moore and driver Jody Jamieson connected with Alcatraz Blue Chip in the session's penultimate event. (Roy was absent from the final five qualifiers on the day, prepping to travel to The Meadowlands for stakes action on Saturday night.)
In the final dash of the 14 contested, I Am impressed with a 1:59.1 wire-to-wire score for the fastest trotting mile of the morning. Adding hopples after a miscue last week did the trick for trainer Herb Holland, as driver Doug McNair guided the son of Readly Express - Easy Agenda to a victory by more than seven lengths over Thrufireandflames (Eddie Green).
Carolyn MacIsaac of Milton, Ont. I Am, bred by Steve Stewart and Em Stables Ab, after a $12,162 transaction at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
The full session of qualifiers is available below.
For results from the qualifying session, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).
(Standardbred Canada)