The first session of 2019 baby races at Woodbine Mohawk Park is in the books after a 13-dash qualifying session on Saturday (June 8).
Anotherstarisborn opened the session with a strong performance. The daughter of Thinking Out Loud - Tell Me Everything forged to the front from post seven, paced unchallenged through fractions of :31, 1:01.3 and 1:31.3 before sprinting home in :28 to pass her test with flying colours and earn a 1:59.3 speed badge. Toonietina (Randy Waples) stayed with her in the pocket to finish second by two lengths with Beach Boutique (Sylvain Filion) in third.
Trained by Daryl Roberts, Anotherstarisborn is owned by Walter & Ruth Ann Parkinson of Lucan, Ont. and Rachel Roberts of Dorchester, Ont. The filly, from a sister to 2007 co-Horse of the Year Tell All, was a $16,000 London Selected Yearling Sale purchase.
Emerald Miss captured the second qualifier of the morning in a time of 2:00.2. The daughter of We Will See and driver Mario Baillargeon fronted the field through the first half and panels of :31 and 1:02 before yielding to Siochan (Paul MacKenzie) down the backstretch. Siochan was on top for the 1:31.3 third quarter and turning for home, but then drifted into the four path when she hit the stretch. That gap allowed Emerald Miss clear sailing to the wire, and she paced strong and straight to trip the timer in 2:00.2. Bettorbeasecret (James MacDonald) closed well to grab second over Twin B Salsa (Louis-Philippe Roy).
A half-sister to Ohio Sires Stakes graduate Bourbon And Barley, Emerald Miss (We Will See - Drivin Miss Rudee) was a $21,000 Ohio Select Sale purchase. Anthony MacDonald trains for Thestable Emerald Miss of Guelph, Ont. and Hutchison Harness LLC of North Ridgeville, Ohio.
Off The Press was an impressive performer in the morning's third qualifier. The daughter of Sportswriter - Dragon Flier K and driver Sylvain Filion were in command of the field for :30.4 opening split, ceded to No Where To Hide (James MacDonald) through a 1:01.2 half and 1:30.4 third station, then popped pocket in the stretch in the midst of a swift :27.2 final quarter to win in 1:58.2. No Where To Hide and Laila Blue (Jody Jamieson) completed the top three.
Trained by Paul Reid, Off The Press is a homebred owned by Bob Key of Leechburg, Penn. Off The Press is the first Sportswriter from Dragon Flier K, who is the producer of six winners from eight foals.
Coco Beach De Vie drifted wide in the stretch after cutting the fourth qualifier but still held on for the victory. Driver Jody Jamieson piloted Coco Beach De Vie, who confidently fronted the field through fractions of :30.3, 1:01 and 1:30.3 before a strong drift in the stretch. A :27.3 final quarter was enough to hold off pocket-sitting Bottle Of Red (James MacDonald) with the mile timed in 1:58.1. Temagami Seelster (Trevor Henry) was third.
A $20,000 London Selected Yearling Sale purchase, Coco Beach Be Vie is owned by Walter & Ruth Ann Parkinson of Lucan, Ont. and Rachel Roberts of Dorchester, Ont. Daryl Roberts trains the daughter of Sunshine Beach - Beach Girl De Vie.
In the morning's fifth qualifier, the first for pacing colts, Stoney Curtis was an impressive winner at first asking. In rein to Jonathan Drury, Stoney Curtis sat patiently in the pocket behind pacesetter Mach Jacobs (Isaac Waxman) through fractions of :29.3 and 1:00.4 before pulling at the 1:31.1 third station and powering home in :27.1 to earn a 1:58.2 speed badge. Farrohs Reign (Jody Jamieson) and Jacked Up Hanover (James MacDonald) showed late speed to complete the top three.
Stoney Curtis (Sunshine Beach - Alpine Gold N) is owned by Denarben Stables of Thornhill and Auciello Stables of Stouffville, Ont. Carmen Auciello handles the training duties.
Stallion Sebastian K has his first record performer as Sebastian U showed little regard for his competition. Louis-Philippe Roy handled the rookie trotter, who blasted away from the gate to lead by four early and then never looked back. After fractions of :29.2, 1:00.4 and 1:30.4, Sebastian U easily trotted home in :29.1 to trip the timer in 2:00. Bronze Yankee (Chris Christoforou) was next best with another wide margin to the remainder of the field.
Sebastian U (Sebastian K - Broadway Paige) is trained by Anthony MacDonald and owned by Thestable Sebastian U Group of Guelph, Ont. He was a $12,000 Harrisburg purchase.
The impeccably-bred Team Best showed he's ready for battle with a sharp 1:55.4 score in his debut. James MacDonald pocketed the son of Somebeachsomwehere - Sports Chic behind Arctic Forces (Dan Dube) through fractions of :30.4, 1:00.1 and 1:28.2 before sprinting home in :27.1 to nail the pacesetter in the final strides. Major On The Beach (Chris Christoforou) finished third.
Blake MacIntosh trains Team Best for breeder Winbak Farm of Chesapeake City, Maryland. The farm retained the yearling, sold at the 2018 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, for $150,000.
Beach Blanket Book was a strong wire-to-wire performer at first asking. Chris Christoforou handled the freshman through splits of :29.2, 1:00.2 and 1:30.1 before a :27.1 final panel to seal the deal in 1:57.2 over Light Up The Park (Jonathan Drury) and Excellent Nation (Dan O'Brian).
Owned by breeder Winbak Farm and trained by Blake MacIntosh, Beach Blanket Book (Sportswriter - Beach Bonnet) was a $17,000 Lexington yearling.
Spend That Money looked like a filly ready to earn that money after a sharp performance in her first qualifier. James MacDonald guided the filly through sensible panels of :30.4, 1:02.2 and 1:32.4 before opening up late. A :27.4 final panel punctuated a 2:00.3 mile, up multiple lengths on pocket-sitting Havana Ooh Nana (Jody Jamieson) and late-closing Tallahasse Seelster (Eddie Green).
Trained by Anthony MacDonald for Thestable Spend Thatmoney of Guelph, Ont., Spend That Money (Uncle Peter - Spend It In) was a $11,500 purchase from the Ohio Select yearling sale. She's the first foal from a a full-sister to speedy stakes winner No Pain No Gain.
The tenth qualifier of the morning featured six pacing colts and gelding but it came down to just two at the finish. Ill Play It Alone (Jody Jamieson) fronted the field through fractions of :30.2, 1:01.4 and 1:29.3 with just one rival staying with him -- A Positive Hanover. In the stretch, Chris Christoforou angled an accelerated A Positive Hanover out from the pocket to challenge Ill Play It Alone and just got up to get his nose on the wire ahead of the pacesetter in a time of 1:56.2. Majoring Artist (Louis-Philippe Roy) was next best of the rest.
A $35,000 Harrisburg yearling sale purchase, A Positive Hanover (Captaintreacherous - Always True) is trained by Blake MacIntosh and he co-owns the colt with Steve Heimbecker of Conestogo, Touchstone Farms Inc. of Guelph and Larry Denley of Oakville, Ont. A Positive Hanover is a half-brother to the millionaire and Grand Circuit stakes winner Dynamic Youth.
Harness AM was in no hurry early in her mile but flashed a brisk back half to win her afternoon qualifier going away in impressive fashion. With Dan O'Brian at the controls, Harness AM allowed stablemate Nancy Allison (James MacDonald) to set the early fractions of :29.2 and 1:00 before hitting the afterburners after the midway point to collar the leader around the 1:31 third station before pulling away to win for fun in 2:00. Alakazam Angel (Greg Dustin) closed well to finish second over Nancy Allison.
Trained by Anthony MacDonald for Thestable Harness Am Group of Guelph, Ont., Harness AM (Father Patrick - Noblesse Blue Chip) was a $28,000 Lexington Selected yearling. She hails from the family of 2001 Hambletonian winner Scarlet Knight.
Hetalkstoangels wasn't in the mood for company in his first freshman test, making every call a winning one in the morning's twelfth qualifier. Driver Chris Christoforou guided the trotting colt through splits of :30.2, 1:01.4 and 1:32 before powering home in :28.4 to qualifying successfully in 2:00.4 over Libero Hanover (Dan O'Brian) and Rooney Blue Chip (Sylvain Filion).
Trained by Blake MacIntosh for breeder-owner Winbak Farm, Hetalkstoangels (Archangel - J Marie) went through the sales ring at the 2018 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $38,000.
The final qualifier of the morning went to trotting filly Knockdown Dragout, who was merciless on her rivals en route to the fastest trotting mile of the morning. Driver Mario Baillargeon handled the filly through fractions of :28.2, :59.3 and 1:29.3 and she cruised home comfortably to win by open lengths in 1:58.3 over Compass Rose DC (Louis-Philippe Roy) and Rose Run Versatile (Jody Jamieson).
Trained by Anthony MacDonald, Knockdown Dragout (Sebastian K - Carla) was purchased as a weanling from the 2017 Harrisburg Mixed Sale for $12,000 and is now owned by Thestable Knockdown Group of Guelph, Ont.
Two-year-old qualifiers will be held next week on Thursday, June 13 (if necessary) and Friday, June 14. For the charted lines from the Saturday session, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Baby Races).