Although just a seven-pack of qualifying races went postward Friday morning at Mohawk Racetrack, it was enough to bring out some attentive eyes, as Il Villaggio recorded his second qualifier for trainer Blair Burgess and Western Silk returned after having been scratched 'sick' earlier this month
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After having not recorded a charted mile since September of 2009, Il Villaggio put in a respectable 1:56.2 qualifying effort last week for the duo of Burgess and driver Trevor Ritchie. The pair were at it again this morning, as Il Villaggio -- who was pegged to trot the fastest three-year-old mile (1:51) in 2010 by Stan Bergstein's Experimental Ratings -- starred in Race 3.
After having started from Post 6 in the nine-horse field, Ritchie and the Yankee Glide colt found themselves parked in fifth at the :28.2 opening quarter-mile marker. They were closer to the lead, but still on the outer tier in third-place, as the half-mile timer flashed to life in :58.2.
Il Villaggio showed his class on the final turn, where he assumed the lead and opened up four lengths by the time he clicked the three-quarter-mile timer in 1:27.2. Opening up a ton of daylight through the homestretch, Ritchie and Il Villaggio cruised home with a :28.2 final quarter-mile and posted a whopping 14 and a quarter-length victory in 1:55.4.
Last week, Myron Bell of Brittany Farms spoke with Trot Insider about Il Villaggio's return to the races and what the future may hold for the bay.
The fifth race on the program marked the return of Western Silk to charted competition. The three-year-old daughter of Western Terror -- who is closing in on $1 million in career earnings -- hadn't raced since capturing the $164,383 Ontario SBOA Stakes at Mohawk on August 27. The classy miss had been entered to contest a $235,786 division of the Simcoe Stakes on September 5 at the Campbellville oval, but was subsequently scratched 'sick' by trainer Casie Coleman.
In her return Friday morning, Western Silk started from the rail with pilot Mark MacDonald in tow. After having sat in fourth through early fractions of :28 and :57.4, MacDonald flipped the switch on the final turn. The bay was overland in fourth at the 1:26.4 third call and readied for her charge home. Tussling with some game foes in the lane, Western Silk put together a solid :26.2 final quarter and eventually motored off to a three and a half-length win in 1:53.3.
To view the charted results from the qualifying session, click here.
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