Yannick Gingras flew into Woodbine Mohawk Park for a pair of drives in the two $30,000 eliminations for the Goodtimes Stakes – a Grade 2 event for trotting three-year-olds – on Friday, June 5 and found the winner’s circle with both, guiding 4-5 favourite Magic Punk and 4-1 third choice Neighver Punt to victories.
In the first elimination, the Ake Svanstedt-trained Magic Punk floated off the wings from post seven and gradually advanced to take the lead from Greenarrow Hanover (Bob McClure) past a :28 first quarter.
As Magic Punk cleared, second-choice Strobe Lite (James MacDonald) tipped off the pylons from fourth and marched uncovered up the rim to reach for the lead into a :56 half.
Gingras obliged to sit the pocket moving for the final turn and readied to pounce with his charge. Magic Punk spurted out of the pocket past three-quarters in 1:24.3 and slid away from Strobe Lite in the stretch to register an easy 2-3/4-length win in 1:52.1. Wolfpack Crown (Louis-Philippe Roy) grabbed third from Greenarrow Hanover while Land The Plane (Jody Jamieson) earned the last berth into the final.
“Ake said he’d be a little aggressive in the post parade and races two-fingered,” Gingras said after the race. “He had a lot of trot; push-button in the race. I used him a couple of times the way the race shook out, but he was well in hand. It was easy to let James [MacDonald] go – his horse was one of the horses to beat – and I figured I’d get him getting to the top of the stretch. It was no worries.”
Magic Punk, a colt by Wishing Stone out of the Explosive Matter mare I D Entity NO, remained unbeaten from two starts this year with his other win coming in the Grade 3 Dexter Cup last month at The Meadowlands. He has won six of his 10 career starts, with $427,879 earned for owner Magic Punk Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida. He paid $3.50 to win.
In the second Goodtimes elimination, Gingras fished cover for a second-over tow for Neighver Punt and they successfully downed even-money favourite Touchedbyanangel (Doug McNair) in the final strides of a 1:51.4 mile.
After 8-5 second choice Exactly (James MacDonald) broke stride behind the gate, Royal Captain (Tyler Jones) fired from post six to take the lead from pylon-starter Classified (Louis-Philippe Roy) ripping into a :26.3 first quarter.
Touchedbyanangel planted into fourth ahead of Neighver Punt and strode along up the backstretch until Gingras began creeping off the pylons approaching a :55.4 half. At that point, McNair pulled Touchedbyanangel off the cones to push for the lead into the far turn.
Royal Captain clung to a diminishing advantage with Touchedbyanangel looming to three-quarters in 1:24 and taking charge heading for the finish. Neighver Punt had clear sailing in the final eighth and persisted to reel in the loose leader with every stride late for a neck victory. Royal Captain held third with Classified finishing fourth and Dream For Peace (Mark MacDonald) closing for the last spot into the final.
“[I was told] he’s easy to drive, so I figured him out in the post parade,” Gingras said after the race. “I was confident in the middle of the last turn, but when we kicked for home, Dougie took off a little bit and I was like, ‘alright, we’ll be second,’ but he was still trotting. Down late, he really dug in, so credit to the horse.”
Marcus Melander trains Neighver Punt, a colt by Bar Hopping out of the Donato Hanover mare Twice Is Right, for owner Courant Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida. The colt collected just the second win of his career from 12 starts (first in three this year), pushing his career earnings to $110,654. He paid $10.60 to win.
The post positions for the Goodtimes final were drawn following the eliminations. The elimination winners earned the right to draw first for posts two through six. Below is the field for the final, which will take place on the undercard of the $1-million Pepsi North America Cup next Saturday, June 13.
$240,000 Goodtimes Stakes (Grade 2)
Post - Horse - Elimination Driver - Trainer
1. Strobe Lite - James MacDonald - Ben Baillargeon
2. Wolfpack Crown - Louis-Philippe Roy - Tyler Moore
3. Magic Punk - Yannick Gingras - Ake Svanstedt
4. Touchedbyanangel - Doug McNair - Duane Marfisi
5. Neighver Punt - Yannick Gingras - Marcus Melander
6. Dream For Peace - Mark MacDonald - Shawn Steacy
7. Land The Plane - Jody Jamieson - Carl Jamieson
8. Royal Captain - Tyler Jones - Dustin Jones
9. Classified - Louis-Philippe Roy - Matt Bax
10. Greenarrow Hanover - Bob McClure - Shawn Steacy
AE. I Am - Trevor Henry - Herbert Holland
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Woodbine; photo of Neighver Punt winning on June 5)