Woodbine Mohawk Park hosted eight qualifiers on Tuesday morning (Aug. 30) under cloudy skies with light rain at the Campbelleville, Ont. oval.
Looking to get back on track after breaking stride in her last two stakes events, Hambletonian Oaks elimination winner Warrawee Xenia opened the morning session with a 1:58.3 qualifying victory over the 'good' track that was rated one second off. With Bob McClure back in the bike for trainer Shawn Steacy, the Walner filly, who is seven-for-10 on the season and approaching the six-figure earnings mark, led through fractions of :29.4, :59.3 and 1:30.1 then fended off the sophomore gelding Forrest through the stretch for the half-length victory, with her final quarter in :28.2. Distant Drums followed in third.
Multiple Maritime stakes champion Woodmere Stealdeal turned in the fastest mile of the morning, rushing to command from the back of the four-pack of pacers at the half then sprinting away from the field with a :26.3 final quarter to win by 14 lengths in 1:54.4. Driven by Jonathan Drury, the four-year-old Steelhead Hanover gelding, who last raced in Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup eliminations in mid-May, won his second straight qualifying start for trainer Carmen Auciello and owner Frank Brundle.
The quickest trotting mile of the morning was courtesy of the three-year-old Archangel gelding Heavens Pic, who widened his leading margin through back-to-back :28.4 final quarters and stopped the clock in 1:57.4, finishing 6-1/4 lengths ahead of Takeapeek At Me. Camilla Christoforou trains and co-owns the lightly raced, one-time winner while husband Chris was in the bike for the qualifying mile.
Also campaigned by the Christoforous, Preferred trotter Spartan General moved underway from the back of a compact field of four in the final turn and kicked home in :27.3 for a 1:59.2 qualifying score while making his first charted appearance since mid-June.
A pair of two-year-olds debuted with winning qualifying efforts on Tuesday morning including the Coyote Wynd Farms' pacing colt Fade To Light (Bettors Delight-Fade), who got up late to win in 2:00 with Sylvain Filion driving for trainer Clark Beelby, and Order By Stable's homebred trotting filly Five Fish Species (Chapter Seven-Stylemaker), who prevailed from the pocket in 2:02.4 for trainer/driver Mario Baillargeon.
To view Tuesday's complete qualifying results, click the following link: Tuesday Results (Qualifiers) - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
A replay of the live video stream from Tuesday's qualifiers is available below.