Two popular summer series kicked off at Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday evening, as two-year-old pacing fillies sparred in a set of divisions of the Whenuwishuponastar Series and three-year-old pacing colts and geldings went at it in a trio of Summertime Pacing Series splits.
Parlee Beach won as she pleased in her $20,000 Whenuwishuponastar Series assignment for the team of driver Randy Waples and trainer Bob McIntosh. The homebred daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Countryview Miss turned a two-hole trip into a 1:54.2 victory over Social Scene and Belle Boyd.
Pat Ryan bred and owns the eye-catching freshman who is a half-sister to the multiple stakes winner Western Graduate (1:51.1 - $1,305,072). The filly was entered in the Harrisburg Yearling Sale, but Ryan brought her home when her price stalled at $80,000.
Charisma Hanover was a front-stepping winner in the second division for veteran horsemen Steve Condren and Clark Beelby. Condren put the Beelby-trained daughter of Dragon Again-Caught The Bouquet on the lead in the backstretch and after chopping out sensible middle panels of :59 and 1:28.1 she roared home in :26.2 to stop the teletimer in 1:54.3. Breathtakingbeauty was next best, with race favourite L Dees Lioness closing well to finish third.
Purchased for $15,000 from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, Charisma Hanover is owned by 8113564 Canada Ltd of Sherwood Park, AB. The second-time starter is a half-sister to the classy Runover Feeling (1:50 - $949,249).
The first division of the Summertime Pacing Series saw JJ Shark and Long Live Rock dead heat for the top spot in 1:52.3. JJ Shark rallied form a pocket trip and Long Live Rock kicked off cover to share the win over third-place finisher Fiesty Flier.
Jeff Gillis trains Long Live Rock for owners James Stambaugh of Wauson and Milton Leeman of Blacklick, OH. The victory was the gelding’s fourth of the season.
Tony Alagna conditions JJ Shark for owners John Krall of Calumet City and Joseph Hemmingway of South Holland, IL. It was the gelding’s second lifetime win.
Terrorist Alert took advantage of a ground-saving trip for Scott Zeron in the second division, and the end result was a career-best score in 1:52 for the Tim Pinske pupil. The son of Western Terror-Ashlees Girl watched Who Dat Love knife out fractions of :28, :56.1 and 1:24.1 before edging out of the three-hole and kicking home for the going away tally. Second prize went to Who Dat Love, with I Wanna Be Geared finishing third.
It was the second win of the season for the three-time winner who is owned by Pinske Stables of Plato, MN. The pacer has a career cash stash of $54,300.
All eyes were on the 1-5 favourite Spinarama in the third division of the Summertime Pacing Series, but Partner rained on his parade thanks in large part to the pocket trip he was treated to. Scott Zeron stalked the favourite for the majority of the mile and used a :27-second final frame to prevail by a half-length margin. Spinarama was a solid second, with Sunny Beach Day a distant third.
Casie Coleman trains the son of Ponder-Dominique Semalu for West Wins Stable, Good Time Stables Inc, Joe Lacova and John Campagnuolo. The gelding went 2-for-6 last season and he’s now 3-for-7 this season. The lion’s share of the $20,000 purse boosted his bankroll to $41,780.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.