Only Take Cash and Evident Beauty scored Grand Circuit victories in Friday night’s Casual Breeze Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The Casual Breeze for three-year-old trotting fillies consisted of a pair of $83,123 divisions.
Bob McIntosh's homebred Ohio Sires Stakes star Only Take Cash returned to the track where she won her career debut to collect a comfortable 1:54.4 victory in the first split. The McIntosh trainee and driver Trevor Henry circled to the top in the second-quarter from the two-hole and never had an anxious moment en route to a 2-1/4 length score.
Only Take Cash took the top spot heading to the half and posted fractions of :56.4 and 1:26 before trotting a final quarter of :28.4. Special Honor finished second, while Dark As A Pocket was third.
A daughter of Cash Hall, Only Take Cash now has five wins and $158,811 earned in seven starts this season. She has won 13 of 16 career starts and amassed an impressive $434,311 in earnings for Robert McIntosh Stables, Dave Boyle and Mardon Stables.
The Casual Breeze Stakes was Only Take Cash’s Grand Circuit debut after racing in strictly Ohio-sired events this season.
A $2 win ticket on Only Take Cash returned $3.10.
Evident Beauty scored a blowout win in the second division for driver David Miller and trainer ‘Nifty’ Norman.
The landscape of the second split took a hit when race favourite The Ice Dutchess made a break early in the second quarter while tracking Evident Beauty. The eventual winner was parked around the first turn seeking the top, clearing shortly after her rival’s miscue.
Evident Beauty reached the half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:26.3 before trotting away from rivals with a :27.4 last quarter to win by six lengths. Angies Luckeylady finished second, while Sonnet Grace was third.
A daughter of Trixton, Evident Beauty is putting together a strong sophomore campaign with five wins and $281,444 earned in nine starts. The Norman trainee came into Friday’s start off a second-place finish to The Ice Dutchess in last Saturday’s Zweig Memorial at Vernon.
Evident Beauty’s career numbers now sit at eight wins and $555,260 earned for owners Mel Hartman, Little E LLC and R A W Equine Inc. She paid $5.60 to win.
The Nancy Johansson stable might have had a miscue from The Ice Dutchess, but they did make a winner’s circle appearance after Friday’s $30,000 Mares Preferred with star Kissin In the Sand.
The four-year-old daughter of Somebeachsomewhere moved to the lead in the second quarter for driver Yannick Gingras and took off on rivals with a :27 third quarter (1:22.2). Kissin In The Sand finished the job with a :27.4 kicker to hold off a push from a drifting Double A Mint in 1:50.1. Windsun Glory finished third.
The victory for Kissin In The Sand is her second consecutive at Mohawk Park and her second in 11 starts this season. The career winner of more than $1.1 million now has 19 victories to her name. She is owned by Marvin Katz and Hatfield Stables.
Kissin In The Sand paid $3.70.
Richard Moreau produced a training triple on the Friday night card, which kicked off with the classy millionairess Sandbetweenurtoes prevailing by a neck in 1:51.1 for her 40th career win.
Live racing continues Saturday evening with the Maple Leaf Trot eliminations, Nassagaweya and Eternal Camnation Stakes on tap. Post time is 7:10 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Woodbine Mohawk Park)