No eliminations were required for this year’s $543,000 Maple Leaf Trot as eight horses were entered for the rich classic, but two eliminations were required to determine the field for next week's Roses Are Red Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack.
Arch Madness, the nine-year-old son of Balanced Image, will compete in the prestigious event for a sixth time in his career.
Trained by Trond Smedshammer for owners Willow Pond and Marc Goldberg, Arch Madness is the richest Canadian-bred trotter of all-time with $3,961,141 in career earnings.
Mister Herbie, last year’s defending champion, will look for back-to-back wins in the prestigious event for trainer and co-owner Jeff Gillis.
The son of Here Comes Herbie has banked $1,312,263 in purses and earned 17 career victories.
Market Share, the youngest entry into the race at age four, remains undefeated this season from two starts. The son of Revenue S has $2,062,202 banked in his career and is fresh off a sizzling 1:50.3 qualifying effort –- the fastest in the history of the sport by a trotter -- on Saturday morning at The Meadowlands.
The draw took place on Saturday evening at Mohawk with the following post positions assigned.
1. Burnin Money
2. Mister Herbie
3. Arch Madness
4. Knows Nothing
5. Uncle Peter
6. Wishing Stone
7. Guccio
8. Market Share
The sport’s finest aged pacing mares faced off in a pair of $35,000 Roses Are Red eliminations. The top five finishers advance to the $325,500 final next Saturday, as part of the Maple Leaf Trot undercard.
Anndrovette, driven by Scott Zeron, captured the fastest elimination in a sizzling 1:48.4 mile.
Sent off as the 2-1 third choice, the daughter of Riverboat King sat in the pocket at the opening quarter as Camille (Sylvain Filion) set the pace past the :26.1 opening station.
Anndrovette pulled the pocket well before the half and laid down panels of :54.3 and 1:22.1, before using a :26.3 final quarter to seal the deal. Rocklamation (Rick Zeron) came from off the pace to finish second, ahead of Camille.
Trained by P.J. Fraley for Bamond Racing LLC and Joseph Davino, Anndrovette celebrated her 33rd career score. Her lifetime earnings sit at $2,274,219 with a 5-5-1 record this season from 12 starts. She paid $6.50 to win.
Drop The Ball, driven by Doug McNair, turned in a 1:49.1 winning effort to take the second elimination.
The daughter of Western Terror took over command past the opening quarter in :27.2 and laid down panels of :56 and 1:23.1, before using a sizzling :26 final frame to seal the deal. Bettor B Lucky (Sylvain Filion) finished second with Krispy Apple (Billy Davis Jr.) third.
Trained by Tony O’Sullivan for owners Let It Ride Stables, Dana Parham and Robert Cooper Stables LLC, Drop The Ball increased her bankroll to $1,075,769. The five-year-old miss has crafted a 2-1-1 record from seven starts this season. She paid $3.80 to win.
The field for next week’s $323,500 final will line up as follows:
1. Monkey On My Wheel
2. Bettor B Lucky
3. Drop The Ball
4. Anndrovette
5. Economy Terror
6. Camille
7. Rocklamation
8. Shelliscape
9. Greystone Ladylike
10. Krispy Apple
More Canadian Breeders Championship eliminations continued Saturday evening at Mohawk.
Sophomore pacers were put on display in hopes of advancing to their respective finals next Saturday, also part of the Maple Leaf Trot undercard.
On the filly side, a pair of $24,420 eliminations took place with the top five advancing to next week’s $113,960 final.
Heavily favoured Love Canal went from eighth to first to take the opening elimination in 1:50.3 - a new lifetime best.
Driven by Doug McNair, the daughter of Badlands Hanover sat behind panels of :26.1, :55.1 and 1:23.2, before reaching the wire in the final strides to win by a neck. Pan Luis Obispo (Randy Waples) finished second with Leaveumlady (Billy Davis Jr.) third. Pacesetter Bjs Sweetheart (Scott Zeron) was fourth and Marlee B (Rick Zeron) finished fifth.
Trained by Tony O’Sullivan for owners Robert Cooper Stables LLC, Let It Ride Stables and J And T Silva Stables LLC, Love Canal increased her bankroll to $443,719. The pacing miss has a record of 3-1-0 record from seven starts this season.
In the other elimination, Macharoundtheclock, driven by Chris Christoforou, scored the narrow victory in 1:51.1.
The daughter of Mach Three advanced first over after a :26.3 opening quarter through panels of :55.4 and 1:24. The David Menary-trainee went on to score the win by a neck over Marquise De Sarah (Jack Moiseyev). Notalkingback (Rick Zeron), Best Impressions (Billy Davis Jr.) and Jettin Jamie (Doug McNair) completed the top five finishers.
Owned by Larry and David Menary, Kenneth Ewen and Denis Breton, Macharoundtheclock increased her bankroll to $193,937. The pacing miss now has a 1-1-0 record from three starts this season. She paid $5.30 to win.
The top five finishers from each elimination advance to the rich $113,960 final.
The field will line up as follows:
1. Notalkingback
2. Pan Luis Obispo
3. Love Canal
4. Macharoundtheclock
5. Best Impressions
6. Leaveumlady
7. Marlee B
8. Marquise De Sarah
9. Jettin Jamie
10. BJs Sweetheart
In the colts and geldings division, both Mach It Go and Tarpon Hanover found the winner's circle to advance to their $115,850 final next Saturday.
Heavily favoured Mach It So, driven by Scott Zeron, got under the wire first in 1:50.2.
The son of Mach Three advanced first over after the :26.3 opening quarter through panels of :55 and 1:23.2. The Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman-trainee went on to score a three-quarter-length win. Windsong Jack (Mike Saftic) finished second with Brocks Fortune (Randy Waples) third. Validus Deo (Sylvain Filion) and Classic Gent (Paul MacDonell) were fourth and fifth.
Owned by Bamond Racing LLC, Mach It So increased his bankroll to $108,412. He has a 4-1-0 record from six starts this season. Mach It So paid $3 to win.
Zeron returned to victory lane in the other elimination as he guided Tarpon Hanover to victory in 1:50.1.
The David Menary trainee sat behind panels of :26.1, :54.1 and 1:22.2 before coming off cover down the stretch to win. Blissfull Bro (Luc Ouellette) finished second, ahead of Mach Pride (Mike Saftic). Panongahela (Chris Christoforou) and Gallant Seelster (Doug McNair) earned the last spots in the final.
Owned by Brad Gray, Bruce Norris, Denis Breton and David Menary, Tarpon Hanover increased his bankroll to $359,792. The four-time winner has crafted a 1-0-4 record from six starts this season. He paid $4.90 to win.
The top five finishers from each elimination advance to the $115,850 final.
The field will line up as follows:
1. Brocks Fortune
2. Mach It So
3. Tarpon Hanover
4. Windsong Jack
5. Gallant Seelster
6. Classic Gent
7. Validus Deo
8. Blissfull Bro
9. Panongahela
10. Mach Pride
For full results from Mohawk's Saturday night card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.
(With files from WEG)