August has already been an exceptional month for trainer Carmen Auciello and the Stouffville resident is hoping there is a bit of excitement left to come as he readies five starters for Saturday night’s Mid-Summer Challenge event at Mohawk Racetrack.
On August 3 the trainer celebrated his biggest stakes victory to date when three-year-old trotting gelding Enough About You captured the Dream Of Glory Final at Hanover Raceway. The Mutineer son dominated the field in both his elimination and the final, clocking a 1:59.1 score off the front end in the elimination and coming from the back to post a seven and one-quarter length 1:57.3 victory in the final.
“He was very impressive in his last two races,” says Auciello, adding that the gelding had been battling sickness for much of July. “This is a horse that raced in 1:54.2 back in June, and if he can trot back to that, he has a good shot in there (Saturday).”
Enough About You will start at Post 1 in the $150,000 sophomore trotting colt Mid-Summer Challenge, drawing into the main event when some of the colts ahead of him in the point standings opted not to enter. Auciello and owners Wheelhouse Racing Stable of Mississauga were delighted with the draw and are looking forward to seeing how the colt, currently ranked thirteenth in the division, measures up in a head-to-head battle against the cream of the crop.
“We plan to keep him in the Gold for the rest of the year, and these are the horses he has to beat if he’s going to do any damage and make the Super Final,” says Auciello of the fifth race field. “It’s tough, very tough, but he’s got a chance at some money.”
The gelding’s stablemate Brenway Dixie will battle in the three-year-old trotting filly Challenge and while Auciello is conceding top spot to world champion Bee A Magician, who will start from Post 10, he is hoping the filly can earn a share of the $150,000 pie from Post 3.
“Nobody is going to beat Bee A Magician,” says Auciello. “But she’s got as good a shot as anybody to finish second, third, fourth if she’s on top of her game.”
Denarben Stables of Thornhill and the trainer’s father Rocco Auciello of Stouffville purchased Brenway Dixie in mid-June and the Oaklea Julian daughter immediately paid off her $30,000 purchase price by finishing third and second in the first two Gold Series legs. The filly made an error in her most recent start, an Aug. 3 overnight at Mohawk, but Auciello expects her to be back on track for Saturday’s test, slated for Race 2.
One race later Auciello trainees will occupy the centre of the starting gate in the three-year-old pacing filly Mid-Summer Consolation as Kamkar Kutie, Mach Away and In The Wheelhouse landed Posts 3, 4, and 5, respectively. All three fillies were affected by the virus that felled Enough About You, but the trainer is hoping they can bounce back in time for the $50,000 Consolation.
“I had a virus go through my barn like I’ve never had before. One older horse didn’t get sick, but every single two and three-year-old got it,” he explains. “I think (these fillies) are probably over it now, but they didn’t bounce back as good as I thought they would.
“All three are competitive in there if they’re healthy and they get a trip,” he adds.
Jeffrey Goldenthal of Toronto bred and owns No Pan Intended daughter Kamkar Kutie, who posted a 1:54.3 win at Mohawk on July 11, but struggled to a ninth-place result in her July 26 start at the Campbellville oval. Mach Three daughter Mach Away finished seventh in her Aug. 2 prep at Mohawk for Denarben Stables and Rocco Auciello, and Stonebridge Regal daughter In The Wheelhouse was eighth in her Aug. 2 test for Wheelhouse Racing Stable.
In addition to the three races Auciello trainees will participate in, Mohawk Racetrack will feature the $50,000 three-year-old trotting filly Consolation in Race 1, the $150,000 sophomore pacing filly Challenge in Race 6, and the $150,000 sophomore pacing colt Challenge in Race 9.
Post time for Saturday’s Mid-Summer Challenge event, the final one on the 2013 Ontario Sires Stakes calendar, is 7:25 p.m.
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To view entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.