Records For Big Jim & Coleman In Champlain Stakes

Two-year-old pacers converged at Mohawk Racetrack on a rainy Saturday night to face off in handful of Champlain Stakes, which saw Big Jim set a stakes record in his respective colt division and two fillies help trainer Casie Coleman accomplish a record of her own

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Despite making an uncharacteristic break in the $1 million Metro Pace one week ago, Big Jim redeemed himself tonight in the first of two $141,510 divisions for colts and geldings.

Big Jim and driver Phil Hudon cleared to the lead past the opening quarter and never looked back as he conquered his seven rivals in a stakes record time of 1:50.2. The former record of 1:51 was set by Somebeachsomewhere in 2007.

Shadyshark Hanover (Brian Sears) cleared to the lead before the opening panel of :26.4 then allowed Big Jim to take over command through middle-half fractions of :55.2 and 1:23.4. He used a final :26.3 final quarter to seal the deal. Shadyshark Hanover finished two lengths behind in second and Line Officer (Tim Tetrick) completed the triactor.

"I noticed he was a lot better leaving out of there than last week; last week I think it was the track. I pretty much let him do what he wanted to do. He felt pretty good even halfway down the lane. I opened him up the last fifth [of a mile]. If I roared at him a little earlier he could of gone faster," Hudon stated in the winner's circle.

James 'Friday' Dean trains the two-year-old son of Western Ideal-Bold Pink for owner Jim Carr of Hamilton, ON. The victory was his fourth in seven starts and lifted his career bankroll to $176,580.

Big Jim paid $4.00 as the bettor's choice.

Roll With Joe posted an upset victory in the second colt division in 1:53.1.

Ohmygosh Hanover (Mark MacDonald) left alertly but did not take over command until past the opening quarter in :26.4. As he took over command, Rollwithitharry (Ron Pierce) was still on the outside after leaving from Post 8 and applied pressure past the half in :55.2, but MacDonald would not relinquish the lead.

Meanwhile, Roll With Joe used a ground saving trip and driver Brian Sears sent his charge to the outside, going three-wide past the three-quarters mark of 1:25. Roll With Joe exploded down the lane to win by over four lengths over pacesetter Ohmygosh Hanover with Nakai Hanover (David Miller) coming on for third.

"This horse has been very sharp; first week of the Metro elims he was home in [1]:53.1 and last week when Big Jim made a break he sat on the outside of him and never had anywhere to go. Tonight the race worked out real well and he showed he has some class," Bob Young commented on behalf of the connections while the horse is in Canada.

Roll With Joe paid $8.00 to win as the 3-1 third choice. Ed Hart trains the son of Cams Card Shark-Classic Wish, who has won two of eight races and earned $156,490 for owners Blue Chip Bloodstock, Stephen Demeter, Not To Worry Stables and Winbak Farm.

Roll With Joe is a full brother to Bettors Delight ($2,581,461) and a half-brother to No Pan Intended ($1,613,180).

Thanks in part to a pair of victories in the filly divisions, Casie Coleman equaled the record for wins on a single program on the WEG/OJC circuit for a trainer by sending out a total of six winners tonight at Mohawk. In the early years of the OJC, records were not kept; therefore, Coleman has equaled Kevin McMaster's modern day record, which was set on January 8, 2001 at Woodbine. All six winners were piloted by Mark MacDonald, who came one victory short of tying the driver record of wins on a single night on the WEG/OJC circuit.

Among her six victories tonight, Coleman captured two of three divisions of the $93,130 Champlain Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies with Pretty Katherine and Idyllic. Coleman was also victorious with Our Lucky Killean, Firethorn, Lucky Man in the Open Pace, and Kyle Major in the lone $247,894 Simcoe Stakes division.

Modern Connection survived a first over trip to capture the opening filly division of the Champlain Stakes for driver Brian Sears and trainer Joe Seekman.

Swinging Beauty (Doug McNair) established early command from Post 8 as she took her rivals past the opening panel in a wicked :25.4. Swinging Beauty continued to control the pace through middle-half fractions of :56.2. and 1:25.3.

Sears angled Modern Connection to the outside around the final turn and held off a late challenge from Day To Ponder (Randy Waples) to win by a neck in a life's-best 1:52.4. Day To Ponder finished second with Mater Deo (Mark MacDonald) third.

"I was looking to move her back to the front when we went a slow second quarter but they were gapped out," Sears commented. "She's a big strong filly; she put in a great effort and was going forward at the end. She isn't really aggressive at times. The first time I drove her she was really good, then she let go on me."

The daughter of Modern Art-Cambest Connection has won three times in eight starts and now sports earnings of $212,797 for owners Yousif Yousif of Chesterfield and Ameer Najor of Detroit, Michigan.

Modern Connection paid $4.30 for the win.

After tasting defeat for the first time in her career last week in the $688,000 Shes A Great Lady Stake, Pretty Katherine delivered as the favourite in the second division for trainer Casie Coleman and driver Mark MacDonald.

Rockabye Babe (Jody Jamieson) gunned to the front from Post 7 and reached the quarter in :27.1. As the field marched towards the :57.2 half-mile mark, Brian Sears moved So Perfect to the front from the two-hole.

As the fillies approached three-quarters in 1:25.2, MacDonald had positioned Pretty Katherine second-over behind Strike An Attitude (Steve Condren), but that filly cleared her rivals to take over command leaving Pretty Katherine alone on the outside.

The daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Fox Valley Shaker pushed ahead of Strike An Attitude at the top of the stretch and opened up two and three-quarter lengths on the field to win in 1:53.3. Strike An Attitude stayed for second with So Perfect finishing third.

"She was just awesome. I know she got beat last week and it ruined her undefeated streak but the filly raced absolutely unbelievable. My other filly [Idyllic] got the perfect trip and she's a great filly too but just got by her," winning trainer Casie Coleman commented. "When your coming from off the pace, slow fractions are never a good thing but 'Katherine' is just a classy filly and Mark [MacDonald] had her well in hand at the wire and she needed a trip coming from off the pace."

With the victory, Pretty Katherine lifted her earnings to $300,578 for owner John Liviakis of Mill Valley, California. She has won five of her six starts.

Pretty Katherine paid $2.40 for the win.

Pretty Katherine's stablemate Idyllic captured the final division, keeping her undefeated streak in tact. The daughter of American Ideal-Magical Dreamer was victorious one week ago in the $688,000 Shes A Great Lady Stake and remains unbeaten in her six career tries.

Driver Mark MacDonald positioned Idyllic third past the opening panel of :27 set by Jamaica Hanover (Ron Pierce). As the field headed towards the half, Idyllic took over command and led her rivals past middle half fractions of :57.1 and 1:26.2.

Down the stretch, Idyllic opened up on her rivals but in the late stages of the mile Shyaway (Brian Sears) kicked into high gear from third. Shyaway, however, came up short as Idyllic gave trainer Casie Coleman and driver Mark MacDonald their sixth win of the night stopping the clock in 1:53.4. Jamaica Hanover finished three lengths back in third.

"The track is really heavy, it's hard to see and it's pretty bad conditions right now," MacDonald commented as the rain continued to pour. "It's hard to say what the right thing to do is on this track, it kind of turned into a sprint and they can only sprint so far on a heavy track."

Idyllic paid $2.30 to win as the bettor's choice. Her earnings climbed to $470,829 for the West Wins Stable, Joseph LaCova, Michael LaCova and John Campagnuolo.

To view Saturday's results, click here.

(With files from WEG)