With a staked-packed weekend At Mohawk Racetrack now in the books, the focus has now shifted to two-year-old qualifiers. Thirteen dashes for juveniles went
forward this morning at the Campbellville, Ont. oval.
The duo of trainer Carl Jamieson and driver Jody Jamieson prevailed in Race 1 with I Am A Fool filly Strait N Great. After leaving from Post 2, the filly was second at the quarter and on top by the half. The filly would go on to fend off a pocket-sitting Gussies Girl (by The Panderosa) by a neck at the wire. The mile was clocked in 1:59.1.
Kassie Oaks hit the wire first in Race 2, as the Nick Boyd-trained Oaklea Julian filly wired the field with a 2:01.3 mile. Tomas Dalborg was in the bike with the chestnut, and the margin of victory was one and three-quarter lengths.
The pacing colts took their turn in Race 3, and Ive Got A Bono, driven by Jody Jamieson for Duane Marfisi, put in a victorious mile in 1:58. The Pro Bono Best colt came first-over from fifth on the final turn and notched a one-length victory via a :27.3 final panel.
The young trotting fillies took to the track in Race 4. Trevor Ritchie was at the lines of Sooner Than Later for conditioner Doug McIntosh. The filly sat third until the final turn, where she popped out, went first over and on to win in 2:03. The margin of victory was one and a quarter lengths.
Rustler Hanover filly Arm Rustler converted a pocket trip in Race 5 and tallied a going-away victory in 2:00.3. The filly was steered by Paul MacDonell for trainer Jim Ainsworth.
Real Desire filly Natasha V stole the show in Race 6, as the Ken Sucee-trained miss stepped to a five and a quarter-length victory in 1:58.2. Jody Jamieson was up behind the bay and worked out a pocket ride through the opening half. Jamieson asked on the turn. The filly put herself into a higher gear in the lane and it was lights out on the field from there.
Winning her second consecutive qualifier, Exquisitelycrafted was much the best for trainer Bob McIntosh and driver Steve Condren in Race 7. After leaving from Post 8, the filly was outside at the quarter and the half, but was on the engine by the time three-quarters came up in 1:33.2. Cruising home in :29.1, the Striking Sahbra lass strolled to a seven and a half-length score in 2:02.3.
Trainer Bruce MacDonald and driver Chris Christoforou hooked up in Race 8 with Ken Warkentin gelding War King Ton. The duo did not disappoint. After being parked to the quarter, Christoforou and the bay cleared and went on to post a two and a half-length victory in 2:02.
A gelding took the next race as well. Jody Jamieson and conditioner Jeff Gillis clicked in Race 9 with Newport Volo, a son of Yankee Glide. Coming out from fourth on the final turn, Newport Volo mowed down his competition in the back half, as he went on to post a two and a quarter-length victory in 2:04.3.
The Quebecois connection of driver Sylvain Filion and trainer Richard Moreau got the job done in Race 10. Filion fired Artesian filly St Lads Trixie out in the final quarter. The bay went on to record a three and a half-length margin of victory in 1:59.3.
The father and son combo of Carl and Jody Jamieson were at it again in Race 11. After taking a two-hole ride, Rafferty Hanover popped out as the field straightened for home. Finishing off his mile with :28.1 final-quarter speed, the Western Ideal colt tallied a one and a half-length victory in 1:57.4.
Toughest Of All was the best of all in Race 12, as the Paul MacDonell-driven and Duane Marfisi-trained colt came from well of the pace to win in 1:58.4. After being almost 10 lengths off the lead at the half, the son of Camluck erased the deficit and posted a three-quarters of a length margin of victory.
The final contest of the morning went to the Steve Condren-driven and John Kopas-trained Reach Higher. The Striking Sahbra colt led all the way, posting a nine-length margin of victory in 2:02.2.
Click here to view the charted lines from the Mohawk qualifying session.