With the second legs of the Pure Ivory Series, Millard Farms Series and Whenuwishuponastar Series conducted at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Thursday (Aug. 3), the freshmen were honing their skills and developing new career marks as well as a pattern of win streaks in their respective series.
Cool Ma Belle and Cold Snaps doubled up in wins in their respective $20,000 divisions for the second leg of the Pure Ivory Series for two-year-old trotting fillies, while Send It In Hanover posted his own series double winning a $20,000 second leg division of the Millard Farms Series for the freshman males.
Cool Ma Belle made every pole a winning one in the card opener and first Pure Ivory division of the evening.
Bob McClure and the Shawn Steacy trainee surged from the inside post, took the lead and never looked back as they posted fractions in :29, :59.1 and 1:29.4. Using a last quarter in :27.3, the bettors' choice collected the win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:57.2. Draw The Line (Tyler Jones) finished second and Woman Of Passion (Doug McNair) was third.
Owned by Hudson Standrdbrd Stb Inc, Nancy Malik and Landmark 16 Racing Stable, Cool Ma Belle collected her second career win and second win of the series, putting her at $20,000 in career earnings in two starts. The time of the mile was a new lifetime mark for the Walner-Blk Thai Optional daughter, who returned $3.10 for the win.
Cold Snaps was inspired by Cool Ma Belle as the two ladies were quite "cool" and collected within their divisions and Cold Snaps posted her own wire-to-wire triumph.
Trevor Henry and Cold Snaps grabbed the lead early and opened up on the field with every step as they clocked each panel in :28.1, :58 and 1:26.4. At the three-quarters, Cold Snaps maintained a five-length advantage, but the favoured Vanjie Blue Chip (Doug McNair) sought to close the gap between them. As the lead narrowed, so did the room for racing and Cold Snaps held on to win by half a length in 1:56.1. Vanjie Blue Chip settled for second and Winning Alliance (Jody Jamieson) rounded out the top three.
Trainer Blake MacIntosh co-owns the Six Pack-Winter Sweet Frost daughter with Tim Klemencic. A new career best, it was the second series win for Cold Snaps and third career win in five starts. She paid $8.20 to win.
In the first Millard Farms division for the freshman colts and geldings, Send It In Hanover took command before the half and kept on rolling to victory for his second series win.
Send It In Hanover (Sylvain Filion) was parked to the opening panel in :28.4 before gaining control of the field and the tempo. Filion and the Benoit Baillargeon trainee continued through panels in :58 and 1:27.3 before winning by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:56.2. Flight Landing (Tyler Jones) took second with Royal Beluga (Bob McClure) third.
Send It In Hanover earned his third career win in as many starts and pushed his earnings to $28,000. Baillargeon co-owns the freshman Greenshoe-Southwind Percy gelding, who posted a career best time in the mile, with Frank Cirillo, Santo Vena and Nunzio Vena.
Top Mast finished second in his first Millard Farms split and came back on Thursday to win by a whopping 4-3/4 lengths in a career best 1:56.4.
Ways N Means (Doug McNair) led the field of seven to the quarter in :28.3 and his efforts were followed by Shermont (Trevor Henry) and Top Mast (James MacDonald). MacDonald pulled the Desiree Jones trainee from third and went straight to the front, leading the field through panels in :59.3 and 1:28.3. Top Mast opened up with every stride, winning by open lengths. Private Access (Louis-Philippe Roy) maneuvered from fifth in the stretch to grab second and Ways N Means rounded out the top three.
Gino Toscani trains the Walner-Princess Lilly freshman as he moved his record to 3-1-0 in four starts with $31,000 earned. Top Mast paid $3 to win as the race favourite.
Freshman series action concluded with the $20,000 second leg of the Whenuwishuponastar Series for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Odds On Platinum (Sylvain Filion) rode the pocket trip behind pacesetter and favourite Reigning Jade (Bob McClure) as she clicked out fractions in :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.2. Odds On Platinum and Its A Love Thing (James MacDonald) met on equal lengths down the lane and in a photo finish, crossed the wire as a dead heat for the win in 1:52.2. The pair were two lengths in front of Reigning Jade, who settled for third.
Ian Moore trains the upset winner Odds On Platinum ($7) for Odds On Racing as the daughter of Bettors Delight-American Jewel scored her second win in three starts, equalling her career best. Its A Love Thing ($3.30) is trained by David Menary for Eric Good, Thomas Biederman, and Joshua Green. The daughter of Bettors Delight-Love For Sail remains undefeated in three starts.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.