Elimination weekend at Woodbine Mohawk Park kicked off on Friday, June 7 to determine the fields for the Goodtimes and Roses Are Red stakes.
A pair of eliminations were required for both events, with the Goodtimes for three-year-old trotters battling for $30,000 per elimination and the Roses Are Red for pacing mares at $35,000 a piece.
Top Mast powered up to win a three-horse photo in the first Goodtimes elimination.
Driven by Sylvain Filion for trainer Desiree Jones, Top Mast showed early speed and sat third throughout. Shermont (Trevor Henry) made the lead at the quarter, posting clips of :27.3, :56 and 1:24.3. Pick Pocket (James MacDonald) sat right behind for a two-hole trip.
In the stretch, the three leaders squared off right down to the wire, with Top Mast reaching up to win by a head over Pick Pocket and a neck over Shermont in 1:53.4. Goober Smack (Tyler Borth) finished fourth, while Finite (Louis-Philippe Roy) was fifth to make the final.
“I [thought] I’m just going to stay here [in third] and see what happens,” said Filion about the trip. “Eventually, it worked out for us. It goes to say you need luck to win big races. I knew the two front horses were battling hard and I was just staying covered up as long as I could and when I moved him and pulled the plugs, he went on.”
Top Mast is now one-for-two to launch his three-year-old season for owner Gino Toscani. The son of Walner won three of 10 starts at age two, banking more than $150,000. The victory in 1:53.4 was a new lifetime best.
Top Mast returned $16.90 to win for the 7-1 upset.
The much-hyped Highland Kismet lived up the noise by scoring a comfortable 1:54 win in the second Goodtimes elimination.
Driver Bob McClure took his time with Highland Kismet in a short field by getting away fifth and making a first-up march around the far turn. The race fractions were clocked in :29, :58.1 and 1:26.1 to three-quarters. The heavy favourite got up to leader Winter Soldier (Dexter Dunn) at the head of the lane and trotted away for the victory.
Private Access (Louis-Philippe Roy) followed the winner with a good kicker to finish second, beat a length and three-quarters. Winter Soldier settled for third, while Griff (James MacDonald) and Myretirementdream (Jody Jamieson) completed the top five.
Trained by Mark Etsell, Highland Kismet is now three-for-four to begin his career and has impressed many.
“This horse can give you a lot of confidence,” said McClure. “When I moved him over tonight, it was just hang on and go. He puts his head down and takes off on you. He wants to win. He wants to chase them down.”
A son of Father Patrick, Highland Kismet is a homebred for Highland Thoroughbred Farm and has now made $37,000.
He paid $3.30 to win.
Top Mast and Highland Kismet secured a post position anywhere from two to six by winning their respective eliminations. Below is the draw for the $225,000 Goodtimes final on Saturday, June 15.
1. Pick Pocket
2. Finite
3. Private Access
4. Goober Smack
5. Top Mast
6. Highland Kismet
7. Myretirementdream
8. Winter Soldier
9. Shermont
10. Griff
AE. R Peaky Blinders
Twin B Joe Fresh kicked off the Roses Are Red eliminations with a blowout victory for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Chris Ryder.
Making her third start as a four-year-old, Twin B Joe Fresh got away fourth and was on the move early after a :27 opening quarter. Prohibition Legal (Louis-Philippe Roy) moved from third and was stretched a bit by Grace Hill (Doug McNair) to the half in :54.2.
Twin B Joe Fresh wasted little time overtaking the new leader entering the far turn and opened up a few lengths of separation at three-quarters in 1:21.4.
In the stretch drive, a wrapped up Twin B Joe Fresh cruised to a 4-1/4-length triumph in 1:50.4. Three-time O'Brien Award winner So Much More (James MacDonald) stayed to the pylons after getting away seventh and finished second. Tells On A Roll (Travis Cullen) rallied from sixth to finish third. Valar Dohaeris (Jody Jamieson) and Grace Hill got through some traffic to round out the top five, as Prohibition Legal came to a walk and backed up to finish outside the final.
A daughter of Roll With Joe, Twin B Joe Fresh has returned in fine form to begin taking on older foes.
“She’s so relaxed, you can do anything you want with her,” said Dunn. “When I saw 1:21.4 pop up, I was sort of trying to make sure I didn’t get up the home straight too quick on her. She was doing it really good and I’m really pleased with her.”
Dunn shares ownership of Twin B Joe Fresh with Ryder, Peter Trebotica and Barry Spak. She’s now a 21-time winner and has made more than $1.5 million in her outstanding career.
Coming off a 1:48.2 stakes and track record performance in the Betsy Ross at Harrah's Philadelphia on May 26, Twin B Joe Fresh paid $2.10 to win as the overwhelming favourite.
Always B Naughty made a loud statement in the second elimination, posting a 1:49.3 front-end score.
Driven by Louis-Philippe Roy, Always B Naughty surged out and kept Silver Label (Doug McNair) to the outside through a wicked :25.3 opening quarter. Silver Label took back into second and followed Always B Naughty through fractions of :54.3 and 1:22.2.
In the stretch, Always B Naughty closed things out with a powerful :27.1 kicker to win by a length and three-quarters. Reigning Horse of the Year and fan favourite Sylvia Hanover (Bob McClure) went first-up to finish second, while Kobes Gigi (Sylvain Filion), Talk Curdy To Me (Dexter Dunn) and Silver Label completed the top five.
Trained by Nancy Takter, Always B Naughty was just one-for-five this season entering Friday's action, but had finished second in her last two starts, including the Kentucky Sires Stakes final and the big Betsy Ross mile.
“Nancy texted me earlier today and said she’s a pretty honest mare and you can use her a couple times as long as you get her a breather at some point,” said Roy. “I knew with the short field, once we were going to get into position anyone was going to risk their spot in the elim by trying to move.”
A four-year-old daughter of Always B Miki, Always B Naughty is now an 11-time winner with nearly $550,000 earned for owners Let It Ride Stable, Odds On Racing, R B H Ventures and Takter.
Always B Naughty paid $7.20 to win as the 5-2 third choice.
Elimination winners again earned a starting spot from post two through six with their victories. Below is the draw for the $305,000 Roses Are Red final on June 15.
1. Talk Curdy To Me
2. Silver Label
3. Always B Naughty
4. Twin B Joe Fresh
5. Tells On A Roll
6. Sylvia Hanover
7. Valar Dohaeris
8. So Much More
9. Grace Hill
10. Kobes Gigi
AE. Dabarndawgswatchin
Live harness racing continues on Saturday night with the eliminations for the Pepsi North America Cup taking centre stage. The eliminations for the Armbro Flight and Fan Hanover will also be held. Post time is 7:10 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Woodbine; Photos, clockwise from top left, of Top Mast, Highland Kismet, Twin B Joe Fresh and Always B Naughty)