Jimmy Takter trainees Senor Glide and On The Tap captured their respective $30,000 William Wellwood Memorial Trot eliminations for two-year-old colts and geldings on Sunday night at Mohawk Racetrack
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The other split went to the highly-touted Il Villaggio, setting up what should be a great match-up for next weekend’s rich final.
Senor Glide received plenty of front-end respect in the first split for driver Dan Dube and, after putting up three-quarters in 1:28, he easily kicked away to a an easy 1:56.2 victory. Temple Of Doom just edged out Sombrero Hall for the place spot with the winner returning a very popular $2.70 to win.
It was the third consecutive win, and second straight at Mohawk, for the son of Yankee Glide-Yankee Senorita, who went winless in six starts to begin his young career. The winner’s share of the purse bumped his earnings to just over $140,000 for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding and Frederick Hertrich III.
It was a similar scenario in the second elimination as the heavily favoured Il Villaggio was able to get around a host of breakers in the early going and cleared to command in the second quarter for driver Tim Tetrick. From there, he was never threatened and won in hand in 1:56.3 over a following Look Closer with Newport Volo rallying to pick up the show spot.
It was the fourth straight win for the son of Yankee Glide-Dance To Market who suffered his only career loss in his first start when he made a miscue at the start. The Erv Miller trainee surpassed $188,000 in earnings for owners Brittany Farms, Blue Chip Bloodstock and Il Villaggio Partners.
In the final split, On The Tab employed off-the-pace tactics for driver Jimmy Takter to score in 1:57. The son of Cantab Hall-CR Sister Suzie sat off the early fractions and comfortably trotted past rivals in the stretch to upend Takeachancewithme with Magic Fruit rounding out the top three.
Takter also trains the colt who won for the fourth time in nine starts this season while picking up a new lifetime mark in the process. The lion’s share of the purse boosted his earnings to just over $105,000 for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding, Louie Camara and Falkbolagen Ab.
The top three finishers, plus one fourth-place finisher, drawn by lot, qualified for next Saturday’s $515,000 Final. The lucky competitor who drew in was Brother Glide, but his luck ended there as he drew the dreaded 10 hole.
Here is a look at the post draw for next Sunday’s final:
$515,000 William Wellwood Memorial Trot
1. Newport Volo
2. On The Tab
3. Il Villaggio
4. Senor Glide
5. Look Closer
6. Takeachancewithme
7. Temple Of Doom
8. Sombrero Hall
9. Magic Fruit
10. Brother Glide
(WEG)
To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click here.