Driver Yannick Gingras had a tight hold on Warrawee Ubeaut as the world-champion filly strolled to a 1:49.1 victory in the second of two $35,000 eliminations for the Fan Hanover on Saturday, June 8 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The Sweet Lou filly drew towards the lead past a :27.1 opening quarter, taking control from Tall Drink Hanover while first-turn leader Sunny Dee got shuffled to third. Tall Drink Hanover dropped back a touch as the backfield loosened to a :55.3 half with Gingras rationing Warrawee Ubeaut’s speed into the final turn.
Past three-quarters in 1:22.4, Warrawee Ubeaut cruised into the stretch under a hand drive while chased by Tall Drink Hanover in second. Stonebridge Soul rallied towards the center of the track to take third from Beach Bar while Powerful Chris completed the top five advancing to the final.
“It was really unfortunate that night; she was really good at the time and I’m not even sure what she did that night,” Gingras said after the race of Warrawee Ubeaut’s break in the Shes A Great Lady elimination. “She just took off sideways and made an uncharacteristic break. But today she was well-behaved and proved she’s a great filly.
“The way the gate opened up I actually was happy—I was going to race her from behind; there were four or five leaving out of there pretty good. But already at the eighth pole they were starting to grab up already, so I knew I [would’ve] maybe first up from fifth or sixth and that was just too far to come so I just let her grind her way to the front and she took care of the rest.
The Ron Burke-trainee dominated her division last year with a win in the Breeders Crown, but also set a world record for two-year-old pacing fillies last season at The Red Mile with a 1:48.3 victory in a division of the International Stallion Stakes.
“Of course the mile in [1]:48 at Lexington was impressive but I think this is even more impressive,” Gingras said. “Lexington is Lexington, right? But [1]:49.1 as easy as she did it tonight I think is a scary mile.”
Winning her 10th race from 15 starts, Warrawee Ubeaut has now earned $721,115 for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Phillip Collura, Jerry & Theresa Silva Stables, Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She paid $3.90 to win.
Sent the 4-5 favourite from post 10, Treacherous Reign assumed command midway through the mile and strolled to a 1:50 victory in the $35,000 first elimination of the Fan Hanover.
Summer Charm charged for the top from the outside with Beautyonthebeach ranging towards the front and Sports Flix floating into third. Treacherous Reign got away fourth moving to a :26.2 opening quarter and soon tipped off the pylons to take the lead before a :56 half.
Deb pulled first over moving to the final turn but gained little ground on the pacesetter heading to three-quarters. Trillions Hanover rode cover second over while St Somewhere raced third over before both fanned wide off a 1:23.2 third quarter but Treacherous Reign turned for the finish and opened her lead while in full flight. Beautyonthebeach chased at the inside for second with Trillions Hanover, Deb and St Somewhere rounding the finalists.
“The beauty of her racing in Pennsylvania,” trainer Tony Alagna said after the race, “[is that] they learn to go forward off the gate because they have to be forwardly placed to do any well on the five-eighths mile track. Before the race Dexter and I talked and he said ‘I’m going to go out of there’ and I said ‘Yeah, of course you have to. You can’t sit 10th.’ He said she just gets over the ground so easy and she didn’t even realize what she’s doing. She had plenty of go and was wrapped up down by the wire, which is how you want any elimination to go.”
Owned by Alagna Racing LLC, Big Als Stables, Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Dana Parham, Treacherous Reign won her seventh race from 15 starts and remains unbeaten from three starts this year. The $3.90 winner had Dexter Dunn driving as she pushed her bankroll to $190,365.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.