Mohawk Racetrack's weekend of Pepsi North America Cup Night stakes eliminations kicked off on Friday with Armbro Flight and Goodtimes Trot hopefuls producing some serious speed.
Four-year-old trotting mare Perfect Alliance remained perfect in 11 starts this year and turned in a 1:51.4 track record victory in the first of two $35,000 Armbro Flight Stakes eliminations with Yannick Gingras in tow.
Already a world record holder courtesy of her 1:51.2 victory in the Miss Versatility Series at Woodbine Racetrack in her last start on May 19, Perfect Alliance knocked one-fifth of a second off Mohawk's aged trotting mares record, which was set by the great Buck I St Pat in 2010.
"Yannick drove her perfect, he found the winner's circle and she had plenty left in the tank so we're pretty excited about her," commented trainer Julie Miller after the race.
Overcoming the outside post in a field of seven, the heavy 1-9 race favourite powered to a six and a half length victory. She cleared to command at the :27-second first quarter mark and rolled through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:23.4 with a :28-second final frame.
Also advancing to next weekend's Armbro Flight final in second through fifth were: Rockin With Dewey (Mario Baillargeon), Bax Of Life (Chris Christoforou), Upfrontluckycarol (Steve Condren) and Lady Laker (Trevor Ritchie).
"So far, I think of every task that was given to her she's performed at the best level she can," said Miller when asked about competing against the division's top mares. "Obviously, in this race there are great competitors, I'm just hoping we're one of them also."
Miller trains the Credit Winner-Yalta Hanover mare for owners Little E LLC, Jason Settlemoir, David Stolz, and Arthur Geiger.
Dorsay pulled off a 54-1 shocker in the second Armbro Flight elimination with a ferocious late kick to defeat favourites Bee A Magician and Classic Martine at the wire.
"I knew it was going to be tough -- those two mares in front of us were pretty good -- but my mare was able to relax tonight so I knew she was going to kick home pretty good, but I didn't expect that," admitted driver Sylvain Filion in the winner's circle.
After sitting third behind reigning Horse of the Year Bee A Magician (Brian Sears) and race leader Classic Martine (Tim Tetrick) through fractions of :27.1, :56.4 and 1:25, Dorsay sprinted home in :26.2 for the 1:52.1 triumph. She prevailed by half a length over the pocket-pulling Bee A Magician with Classic Martine three-quarters of a length behind in third. Charmed Life (Jody Jamieson) and Angies Lucky Star (James MacDonald) finished fourth and fifth to earn the remaining spots in the stakes final.
"She can get a little anxious behind the gate, but once she goes off the gate she's not bad," noted Filion. "The more she relaxes, the better she is."
Jonas Czernyson trains the Yankee Glide-Danae mare, who earned her first victory of her five-year-old campaign for the Consus Racing Stable Inc.
Favourites Flyhawk El Durado and Trixton delivered on their pari-mutuel promises in the $30,000 Goodtimes eliminations while establishing new Canadian season's records for three-year-old trotting colts.
Driven by Gingras, Flyhawk El Durado took a new lifetime mark of 1:54.1 in the first Goodtimes elimination.
Firing from post nine, Il Sogno Dream (Tim Tetrick) worked his way to the lead over 1-2 favourite Flyhawk El Durado at the :27-second first quarter mark. His lead was short-lived though as So Not Cool (Mario Baillargeon) swept up to take over command, followed by Skates N Plates (Ron Pierce). Shuffled back to fourth, Gingras sent Flyhawk El Durado first over at the half, clocked in :56, and took over past the 1:25.2 three-quarters mark, drawing off by nearly five lengths. He cruised home in :28.4 for the victory with Il Sogno Dream closing to finish three-quarters of a length behind in second. Verdi (Paul MacDonell) came from last to finish third with Massacaia (Sylvain Filion) and Massive Talent (Jody Jamieson) coming in fourth and fifth.
"He's very quick," said Gingras, who drove the Conway Hall-El Paso Gal colt for the first time tonight. "Leaving the gate he was going as fast as he could. The first eighth was 13 seconds and I was grabbing him up and letting everybody cross over. I was hoping to remove to the front, but I got beat to it. It was alright, they had decent fractions up front so he was really game first up.
"He is a little guy, but he does have a big engine and he's got a good heart too -- he wants to do it. Turning for home, I wasn't sure how he was going to like being first up, but when I asked him to go he was full of trot and the [ear] plugs were still in. He had a little left."
Jeff Gillis trains Flyhawk El Durado for owner Martin Scharf. Last year's New York Sire Stakes champion is now two-for-three during his sophomore campaign.
In the second Goodtimes elimination, Trixton turned in a seemingly effortless 1:53.3 triumph for trainer/driver Jimmy Takter.
"He felt very powerful tonight," stated the winning horseman after the race.
The 1-9 favourite cleared to command after the :28.2 first quarter mark and proceeded to lead the field past the half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:26.1 en route to the four and a half length victory.
Finishing second through fifth were: Harper Blue Chip (Sylvain Filion), Speak The Truth (Tim Tetrick), See The Wind (Brian Sears) and Pasadena Star (Randy Waples).
"He's a big horse and he has a very effective way of going and covers a lot of ground," said Takter. "It took him a little while to get him right, but he's a big horse and big horses take a little longer time to develop. He's just a fantastic horse."
Owned by Brixton Medical Ab and Takter's wife Christina, Trixton earned his fourth straight victory.
"He's going to face maybe tougher horses later on," noted Takter. "Right now he's having a lot of fun."
The $266,000 Armbro Flight Stakes and $272,100 Goodtimes Trot will both take place on Saturday, June 14 as part of Pepsi North America Cup Night. The fields for those finals are listed below with the connections of all elimination winners earning the chance to pick their post positions.
Armbro Flight
1. Lady Laker
2. Bax Of Life
3. Dorsay
4. Perfect Alliance
5. Classic Martine
6. Upfrontluckycarol
7. Rockin With Dewey
8. Charmed Life
9. Bee A Magician
10. Angies Lucky Star
AE. Ma Chere Hall
Goodtimes Trot
1. See The Wind
2. Massacaia
3. Verdi
4. Flyhawk El Durado
5. Trixton
6. Massive Talent
7. Pasadena Star
8. Il Sogno Dream
9. Speak The Truth
10. Harper Blue Chip
AE. Raise The Curtain
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.
2014 Mohawk Raceway will go
2014 Mohawk Raceway will go down in history. On June 14, on a clear night with little to no head-wind and no rain, fans will witness, yes, a trotting mare that will go under 1:51. For race fans, this will be a night that you don't want to miss, I can't wait for it myself.
Don't miss this because (Hes Watching).
I'llHaveAnother Ontario Needs racing.