Ten races were carded for Thursday, July 18 at Woodbine Mohawk Park and each race was comprised solely of 2022 Standardbred foals with the first leg of the Millard Farms and Pure Ivory for trotters and the second leg for the rookie pacing colts in Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots action.
Each of the aforementioned stakes races had $20,000 divisions.
Pedigree was on display in the Millard Farms first leg. Extended Session ($2.90) improved off of his 1:58 debut on June 28 with an impressive 1:56.3 score for driver James MacDonald and trainer Matt Bax to kick off the Thursday card. Hey Dude (Jody Jamieson) and Eurobank Hanover (Bob McClure) completed the top trio.
A $220,000 Lexington Selected yearling, Extended Session (Walner - Moms Millionaire) is a half-brother to the great Snow White, owned by Al Libfeld of Pickering and Bax Stable of Campbellville, Ont.
Sons of Walner swept the Millard Farms first leg as Emoticon Legacy ($5.30; pictured above) parlayed a pocket trip from driver Louis-Philippe Roy into an eyebrow-raising 1:55.3 mile in his debut effort. Pacesetter Go Ahead Makemyday (Sylvain Filion) stayed for second some four lengths with Alimony Mike (Tyler Jones) best of the rest in third.
A homebred of Determination of Montreal, Que., Emoticon Legacy is the second foal of double millionaire Emoticon Hanover. Luc Blais trains.
Southwind Milk ($2.40) followed in the footsteps of Bax stablemate Extended Session, starting her career with wins in her first two appearances by holding on to win the first Pure Ivory division by a head over Clarissa W (Bob McClure) with Lasting Dream (Roy) less than a length back in third. The mile was timed in 1:57.
Southwind Milk (Walner - Mimispearloflindy) is owned by Bax Stable of Campbellville, Ont., Big Als Stables of Woodbridge, Ont. and Neil Miller of Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Que. She was a $50,000 Lexington purchase.
Beersnsunshine Deo ($3.90) delivered as the public choice in the second Pure Ivory division, going wire-to-wire for driver Tyler Borth for the maiden-breaking 1:57.1 victory over Lil Sweet (Doug McNair) and Highlandstarburst (McClure).
Susie Kerwood trains Beersnsunshine Deo (Six Pack - Wish I Was There) for S&R Racing Stable Inc. of Acton, Ont., Kenneth Backer of Gloucester, Ont., Martin Leveillee of St-Blaise-Sur-Richelieu, Que. and Gestions JF Goyette Inc. of Ste-Therese, Que. The filly was obtained from Lexington for $12,000.
The second leg for the Millar Farms and the Pure Ivory is set for Thursday, Aug. 1 at Mohawk with the $50,000A final the week after on Aug. 8.
Ontario's rookie pacing colts and geldings were back in action for the second Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots leg.
Merrow ($7.60) and driver Syvlain Filion got by pacesetter Tito N Cheddar (Roy) in the stretch for the half-length tally in 1:54.1. It was the first career win for the son of Stag Party - Siobhan, trained by Donald Lindsey for Suheil Ashkar of Liverpool, N.Y.
Crack Shot ($2.80) doubled up in OSS Grassroots action, making every call a winning one for driver Doug McNair to win by a scant nose over Sunsational (Filion) while taking a new mark of 1:54.3. Gregg McNair trains, and shares ownership of the Bettors Delight - Beautyonthebeach colt with Dale Hunter of London, Frank Brundle of East Garafraxa and George Kerr of Gowanstown, Ont.
Tip Of Time ($2.60) notched his first career victory in the third division, winning by two length in 1:54.2 for driver Travis Cullen. The son of Shadow Play - Timeless Beauty is trained by Dr. Ian Moore for Lindsay Jane Whelan of Calgary, Alta., R G McGroup Ltd of Bathurst, N.B., Stephen Alden O'Brien and Shaun MacIsaac of Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Cullen and Blue Bar ($3.50) set the bar in the fourth and final division, uncorking a career best 1:52.3 mile with a :26.4 closing quarter to complete the card. Cullen also bred and owns this son of All Bets Off - Feelin Flush, now a two-time winner this year. Jodie Cullen handles the training.
The next Grassroots leg for this group goes on Aug. 17 at Hiawatha Horse Park.
For the full results from Thursday's card of harness racing from Mohawk, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)