Thursday (July 20) evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park was headlined by freshman trotting series action as the first leg of the Millard Farms Trotting Series and first leg of the Pure Ivory Trotting Series was contested in four races with two $20,000 divisions for each series split.
Send It In Hanover posted the faster time of the two divisions of the Millard Farms Trotting Series for two-year-old colts and geldings, winning in 1:58.
Sylvain Filion was in the bike for Benoit Baillargeon as he took Send It In Hanover to the gate as the far outside in the field of six. Filion and Send It In Hanover settled along the pylons just before the quarter was reached in :29. Once the field reached the straightaway, Top Mast (James MacDonald) pulled from second to take command before the half in :59.3. At the three-quarters in 1:29.3, Send It In Hanover stayed on the inside behind Top Mast. Down the stretch, the field separated, leaving it to a battle between Filion and MacDonald. Send It In Hanover won by a comfortable 1-1/2 lengths as Top Mast took second. Flight Landing (Tyler Jones) rounded out the top three.
Send It In Hanover tallied his second victory in two career starts for owners Baillargeon, Frank Cirillo, Santo Vena and Nunzio Vena. The gelded son of Greenshoe-Southwind Percy paid $4.40 to win.
Struttin Yankee strutted himself to a two-length achievement in the second Millard Farms division after a wire-to-wire trip.
Filion guided the Todd Lapage trainee from post five to the top in a similar tactic to the Send It In Hanover victory. However, once Struttin Yankee landed the front, he refused to give it up as he controlled the timer through panels in :30.1, 1:01.1 and 1:31.3. Struttin Yankee stopped the clock in 2:01.4, two lengths ahead of Gone Goodbye (Scott Young). Private Access (Louis-Philippe Roy) rounded out the triactor after he was placed third from fourth.
It was the first career victory in three tries for the gelded son of Greenshoe-Soprana Hill who is owned by Lapage. Struttin Yankee paid $15.50 to win.
In the Pure Ivory Series for two-year-old trotting fillies, Cold Snaps went wire-to-wire to stop the clock in 1:58.1 and win by three-quarters of a length.
Cold Snaps (Trevor Henry) left from post eight in the field of nine and dug in to secure the lead. The Blake MacIntosh trainee kept a cushion between herself and her competitors as she was up by 3-1/4 lengths at the quarter in :29.2, two lengths at the half in :59.3 and five lengths at the three-quarters in 1:29. Punch The Clock (MacDonald) stepped on the gas in the final turn and down the stretch to try and catch the leader, but was unable to close the gap enough before the wire. Southern Moni (Filion) finished third.
Tim Klemencic and Blake Macintosh co-own the daughter of Six Pack-Winter Sweet Frost as she earned her second win in four starts. She paid $3.70 to win.
Cool Ma Belle completed the series action for the evening after she won the Pure Ivory Series split with Bob McClure in the bike.
McClure and the Shawn Steacy trainee did not let post 10 affect them as they swept past the field and to the front as the gate pulled away. Winning Alliance (Jody Jamieson) had control of the rail real estate and was relentless in giving it up, but as the quarter was clocked in :28.4, Cool Ma Belle pressed on to take over. Cool Ma Belle led the field to the half in 1:00.3 before Vanjie Blue Chip (Doug McNair) took over. Winning Alliance also hopped off the rail, leaving Cool Ma Belle back in third as they passed the three-quarters in 1:30.2. McClure tipped Cool Ma Belle three-wide down the stretch and made it to the wire a half-length in front in 1:58.3. Vanjie Blue Chip finished second and Winning Alliance was third.
The daughter of Walner-Blk Thai Optional — and thus a three-quarter sister to 2022 Hambletonian winner Cool Papa Bell — is owned by Hudson Standardbred Stb Inc., Nancy Malik and Landmark 16 Racing Stable as she won her career debut. Cool Ma Belle paid $21.90 to win.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.