A pair of six-figure yearling purchases made victorious lifetime debuts during Mohawk Racetrack's 13-dash qualifying session Tuesday morning, but before the youngsters stepped on the big stage, a couple of stakes warriors
had to get a little fine tuning in.
After a third-place finish in Flamboro Downs' Ellamony Classic on June 25, the Casie Coleman-trained and Mark MacDonald-driven Western Silk headlined Race 3 and stretched out a little. After having sat the pocket through a :57.2 opening half-mile, the $1.4 million earner went to the front and opened up. She was on top by three lengths at the 1:26.2 three-quarters pole and had expanded the margin to almost nine lengths at the head of the lane. When all was said and done at the wire, Western Silk had closed with a :26.4 final quarter-mile and posted a 13 and a quarter-length victory in 1:53.1.
Putting in her second qualifying mile of her three-year-old campaign, 2010 Breeders Crown winner Martiniontherocks stepped out on the track for Race 5 and put her best hoof forward for the trainer-driver combo of Dustin Jones and Sylvain Filion. After sitting second early, the Conway Hall filly went to the front before the :58.4 opening half-mile and went on to trot to a seven and a half-length win in 1:55.4.
Races 6 through 13 were strictly for the two-year-olds.
The first baby race (Race 6) saw the Bjorn Noren-trained and driven Cradabra (Kadabra--Crabcake Hanover, by Yankee Paco) emerge victorious from his first-ever charted line. After having left from Post 6, the bay colt occupied the pocket through fractions of :31.2, 1:02.2 and 1:33.4. Cradabra came home with a :30.1 final quarter-mile and got up on the tempo-setter to post a one and a half-length margin of victory in 2:04.
Race 7 saw Redford Blue Chip (Western Ideal--Sure Sign, by Life Sign) hit the finish line first in his career charted debut. In rein to driver Scott Zeron for trainer Jason Libby, the bay colt started from the rail and made every pole a winning one. He spun off the fractions in :30.1, 1:01 and 1:30.3 before closing in :28.2 for a three and a quarter-length win in 1:59.
The tandem of Dustin Jones and Sylvain Filion struck again in Race 8 with Prestidigitator (Kadabra--Shes A Priority, by Catch A Thrill). The $120,000 yearling purchase started from Post 4 in her career charted debut and was fifth through the opening half mile (1:03.4). The bay trailed the leader by more than three lengths heading into the final eighth of a mile, but Filion got the colt up in the late going to post a one and half-length victory in 2:03.1 off a 28-second final quarter-mile.
Apogee Hanover (Jeremes Jet--Aurora Seelster, by Camluck) was tops in Race 9 for trainer Erv Miller and driver Scott Zeron. The bay filly was taken to the back of the bus through the first half of the dash before Zeron called on the bay filly. Apogee Hanover was charging third over on the final turn and ended up coming home with a :27.2 final quarter to post a head victory in 1:58.
Driver Rick Zeron and trainer Rod Therres clicked in Race 10 with Last Luck (Mach Three--Amazing Luck, Camluck), who was third for most of the dash before getting up for a three-quarters of a length victory in 1:59.1. The fractions had been cut in :30, :59.4 and 1:30.2 before the bay filly kicked home with a :28.2 final panel to seal the deal.
It was Jones and Filion once again in Race 11, as $110,000 yearling purchase Adkins Hanover (Western Ideal--Allamerican Nadia, by Dragons Lair) converted a pocket ride into a two-length victory in what was his charted debut. Filion left from the rail with the colt and sat through fractions of :31.1, 1:01 and 1:30.2 before striking late. Adkins Hanover came home in :28.2 and stopped the timer in 1:59.1.
Twin B Sensation (Ken Warkentin--Senorita Sierra, by Sierra Kosmos) was all business for the trainer-driver team of John Bax and Paul MacDonell in Race 12. The brown filly started from Post 8, cut the fractions in :31.3, 1:01.4 and 1:32.1 and cruised home with a 30-second final quarter to post the win time of 2:01.1 while more than two lengths the best.
The session was capped off by a four and a half-length win in 1:56 by the Ken Switzer-trained and J.R. Plante-driven Machal Jordan (Mach Three--Marg N Jan, by Cam Fella). The bay colt got the job done in wire-to-wire fashion, as he diced the fractions in :28.4, :58.3 and 1:28.2 before closing with a :27.3 final panel.
Other winners during the morning session included Oil Tumbles (1:55.2), Guilford (1:59.1) and Going For It (1:59.4).
For results from Sunday's card of harness racing, please click the following link: Tuesday Results - Mohawk Racetrack (Qualifiers).