On Tuesday, the race office at Mohawk Racetrack drew a program chocked full of stakes eliminations, as multiple elims for the Metro Pace, Shes A Great Lady and Canadian Pacing Derby are set to dominate the Saturday, August 29 card from the Campbellville, Ont. oval
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The connections of 30 two-year-old pacing colts and geldings have entered their charges to contest the $40,000 Metro elims (Races 4, 5 and 9), while 32 two-year-old pacing fillies have been entered to contest the $35,000 Shes A Great Lady elims (Races 1, 2, 3 and 6). A total of 10 older pacers will contest the lone $50,000 Canadian Pacing Derby elim, carded as Race 8.
The top three finishers from each Metro Pace elim -- plus one fourth-place finisher, drawn by lot -- will gain entrance to the final. The top two finishers from each of the Shes A Great Lady elims -- plus two third-place finishers, drawn by lot -- will advance to the final.
The connections of Shark Gesture and Bettor Sweet accepted byes to the Canadian Pacing Derby. Thus, the top eight finishers from the 10-horse Canadian Pacing Derby elimination will advance to the final.
The $1.5 Metro Pace, $700,000 (est.) Shes A Great Lady and the $700,000 (est.) Canadian Pacing Derby will be the figureheads of Mohawk Racetrack's highly anticipated card of racing on Saturday, September 5.
The Dr. Ian Moore-trained Battle of Waterloo winner Wellthereyougo (PP4, Ra. Waples) has drawn into the first of the Metro elims. The son of Camluck is riding a four-race win streak into the elim, having most recently swept an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold event at Flamboro Downs.
“We might see a bit of a speed duel in that split,” Moore told WEG's media department.
“In a way I wish he could have had some more time off going into this – but when there’s an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold final 20 minutes down the road from you (at Flamboro Downs, August 16), it’s hard to say no.”
Malicious (PP1, P. MacDonell) another top colt from the stable of Dr. Moore, has drawn the rail in the second Metro elim. The Bettors Delight colt followed up its sweep of the Dream Maker Pacing Series by capturing its division of the Nassagaweya Stakes in a gate-to-wire 1:53.1.
“I’ve gotten so I don’t even want to look (at the draw) – we’ve gotten the nine or 10 hole so many times I can’t count them, especially with (2008 Little Brown Jug champion) Shadow Play," said Moore. "But it looks like we’ve drawn pretty good for once.”
Woodrow Wilson winner Windfall Blue Chip (PP10, C. Callahan) caught a terrible bout of poor post luck, and will start from the outside starting position.
The third of the Metro elims will see Rocknroll Hanover colt Woodstock (PP7, Ti. Tetrick) make its third career start, this time for trainer Mike Vanderkemp. The brown colt has sizzled teletimers in its two previous races, having flashed solid final quarters and recording wins in 1:53 and 1:52.4.
Sweetheart Stakes runner-up Camsamericangirl (PP7, B. Givens), a Cams Card Shark filly, will be contesting the first of the Shes A Great Lady elims for trainer Melvin Givens.
The second of the Shes A Great Lady elims will see the Bob McIntosh-trained No Pan Intended filly Panagler (PP5, S. Condren) look to improve on its 1:53 mark taken in a division of the Eternal Camnation Stakes.
The Mark Capone-trained Allamerican Native filly Native Doll (PP6, G. Brennan) will contest the third of the Shes A Great Lady elims. The multiple Pennsylvania Sires Stakes winner has won two of three starts and sports a mark of 1:55.1 taken over Chester Racetrack.
The Chris Ryder-trained Artsplace filly Lover Of Art (PP8, Ti. Tetrick) has drawn an outside starting assignment in the final Shes A Great Lady elim. The bay sports a record of 2-1-1 from six starts, including a close third-place performance in the Sweetheart.
The Canadian Pacing Derby elims features an assortment of the finest aged pacing talent on the continent. Among others, Shadow Play (PP3, D. Miller), Bigtime Ball (PP4, P. MacDonell), Won The West (PP6, J. Morrill, Jr.), Art Official (PP7, P. Wrenn), Silent Swing (PP8. Condren) and Mister Big (PP10, B. Sears) will be stepping out in search of a spot in the rich final.
To view the harness racing entries for the Saturday, August 29 card of racing at Mohawk Racetrack, click here.
To view a past performance program with the new TrackIT preliminary program format, click here.