Hes Really Keen didn't need electric boots to take top honours on Friday morning's (July 2) qualifying session for two-year-olds at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The cleverly-named Sweet Lou-Betty And The Jets gelding was amply sharp on his own, posting a 1:55 win in his second morning appearance.
Jody Jamieson settled Hes Really Keen into a loose pocket behind Almost There Boss (Sylvain Filion), who had the field spaced out behind him through early splits of :28.2 and :56.4. They pair tightened in through the far turn as the pace slackened to 1:26.3 before vaulting to the fore in upper stretch. Hes Really Keen accelerated to the winning post, using a :28.1 final sectional to evade Century Invictus (James MacDonald) by 1-3-/4 lengths for trainer David Menary and the partnership of Menary Guerriero, Thomas and Scott Dillon, and the PBG Stables.
Hunter Sellars and Michael Kwietniowski's homebred Sunshine Beach-J M Clarice filly, Motovation, sparkled in her qualifying debut, as her 1:58 mile was fastest among all rookie pacing fillies. Trainer-driver Phil Hudon angled her out to follow Novella Seelster (Doug McNair) off the far turn before speeding to the fore in mid-stretch through a :27.3 sprint home and winning by a length.
Pocahontas' 2:01.4 performance set the standard for two-year-old trotting fillies. The daughter of Father Patrick and Mylittlestarshine angled out from third to take second up the backstretch, and then wore down pacesetter Dabra Day (Anthony Haughan) in a :28.3 stretch duel. Trainer-driver Rick Zeron shares ownership of Pocahontas with the Noblock Racing Stable and Jeffery Ruch.
A trio of male trotters posted 2:01 wins in their respective heats: Delgado (Trixton-Ruling Class), a pillar-to-post winner for driver Scott Young and trainer Robert Young; Take Command (Father Patrick-Ridge Speed), a decisive seven-length winner bred, owned, trained and driven by Dustin Jones; and Three Finger Pour (Muscle Mass-Jayport Sweetheart), who parried a stern challenge on the far turn with Phil Hudon aboard for trainer Leo Fleming.
The entire broadcast of the morning's two-year-old qualifiers appears below.
To view Friday morning's complete results, click the following link: Friday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifier).