Grand Circuit season at Woodbine Mohawk Park launches this Saturday night with the eliminations for the William Wellwood Memorial and Peaceful Way stakes.
A pair of $30,000 eliminations will be contested for each event, with 19 two-year-old trotting colts and geldings lining up in the Wellwood and 14 rookie trotting fillies in the Peaceful Way. The top five finishers from each elimination advance to the finals.
New Jersey Sires Stakes champion Nordic Catcher S (pictured above) headlines the Wellwood eliminations. The Ake Svanstedt trainee will compete in the second elimination, making his first start since a 1:53.3 score in the New Jersey final on Aug. 3. A uniquely bred son of Six Pack out of a Somebeachsomewhere mare, Nordic Catcher S has won two of three starts to begin his career. Svanstedt will handle the driving duties from Post 2.
Nordic Catcher S will face the likes of the well-bred Emoticon Legacy (Louis-Philippe Roy, Post 5), who is one-for-one, and You Got It Kempt (Post 6, Sylvain Filion), who recently won the Ontario Sires Stakes Mid-Season Challenge.
The first Wellwood elimination includes Millard Farms Series winner Tregaron (Post 3) for Team Young. The gelded son of Propulsion captured the Millard Farms Series final in 1:55.2 for driver Scott Young and his father, Bob Young.
Extended Session (Post 8, James MacDonald) will look to rebound after making a break in the Millard final and suffering his first loss in four starts. Marcus Melander trainee Maryland (Post 4, Dexter Dunn) and Ron Burke student Tactical Dynasty (Post 7, Yannick Gingras) are also expected to figure prominently in the first Wellwood split.
The William Wellwood Memorial eliminations are scheduled as Races 8 and 10 on Saturday’s 12-race card.
The first Peaceful Way elimination features the top two locally-trained rookie trotting fillies to this point in the season.
Blake MacIntosh trainee Monalishi (Post 2, Jody Jamieson) has won three of four starts, including the OSS Mid-Season Challenge. The daughter of Green Manalishi S is riding a three-race win streak into Saturday.
Cantab Hall filly Lasting Dream (Post 6, Roy) enters off a strong 1:54.1 victory in the Pure Ivory Series inal for Determination and trainer Luc Blais. Lasting Dream has won two of four starts to date.
The second Peaceful Way elimination will have all eyes on New Jersey Sires Stakes champion Champagne Problems for trainer Nancy Takter. The daughter of Tactical Landing posted a dazzling 1:52.3 victory over a sloppy track on Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands. A winner of three of four starts, Champagne Problems teams with Dexter Dunn from post six.
The Peaceful Way eliminations are carded as Races 3 and 7.
The William Wellwood Memorial and Peaceful Way finals will take place on Saturday, Aug. 24. Elimination winners will secure a post position from two to six for the final.
Post time for Saturday’s card at Woodbine Mohawk Park is 7:10 p.m.
To view the early program pages, click here. To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Woodbine)