Scratched sick from the Graduate Series opener, 2025 O'Brien Award winner Crack Shot returned to action with a sharp qualifying mile leading off the Monday, June 8 morning session at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Trained and driven by the father and son team of Gregg and Doug McNair, Crack Shot had things his own way on the front end as he carved out fractions of :28.1, :58 and 1:26.3 before sprinting a sizzling :25.2 final quarter to cap off the 1:52 mile, crossing the wire 9-1/2 lengths ahead of the rest. A pair of Jodie Cullen-trained distaffs, Open competitor Glenboro (Allan Molloy) and Australian import Sensationalize A (Travis Cullen), finished second and third.
Prior to the Graduate scratch, Crack Shot made three starts in May including a winning effort in a Kentucky Sire Stakes event at Oak Grove to launch his four-year-old season. A career winner of $777,876, the Bettors Delight-Beautyonthebeach stallion is owned by his trainer in partnership with Dale Hunter of London, Ont., Frank Brundle of East Garafraxa, Ont., and George Kerr of Gowanstown, Ont.
Later on Monday morning, Preferred trotter Fashion Frenzie qualified for the second time since last racing in early March and won in 1:54.1 with regular reinsman Louis-Philippe Roy in the bike.
Now trained by Rob Fellows, the two-time O'Brien Award winner crossed to command right away and led through panels of :28.2, :57.2 and 1:26.1 en route to the 1-1/2-length win after trotting home in 28 seconds. Paquet (Jody Jamieson), qualifying for the second time in his return since sweeping the Canadian-Sired Graduate Series last spring, rallied from fourth in the stretch to nab second over Mohawk newcomer Seismic Step (Doug McNair) and pocket-sitter Nothingbutadreamer (Trevor Henry).
Fashion Frenzie, an eight-year-old millionaire son of Archangel and Striking Fashion, is owned by Ecurie Francis Richard Inc., Pierre Guillemette and Sylvain Richard, all of Becancour, Que., along with Gestion Mario Bourgea Inc. of Stanbridge-East, Que.
To view Monday's complete qualifying results, click the following link: Monday Results (Qualifiers) - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
A replay of the Woodbine qualifying video stream is available by clicking the "Watch on Youtube" link below.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Crack Shot winning in 2025)