Upon its inauguration in 2020, the Mohawk Million, and its elder, yet equally renowned companion contest the Metro Pace (first run in 1988), have worked in tandem to spotlight Standardbred racing’s next wave of superstars.
The prestigious pair of million-dollar tilts for two-year-old trotters and pacers, respectively, returns to Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, Sept. 21, with a special 6:30 p.m. post time, as part of a dynamic card that includes five stakes finals on an evening otherwise known as “Canada’s Richest Night of Racing.”
“Anytime there's a $1 million race, it's important not only for Mohawk’s racing, but for the entire racing industry -- whether it be the breeders, trainers, drivers -- we don't have as many million-dollar races as we used to,” said Bill McLinchey, Vice-President for Standardbred Racing at Woodbine Entertainment. “Anytime you get even one of those, it's significant for the industry.”
While the allure of a race like the Mohawk Million is self-explanatory, McLinchey acknowledged that getting horses behind the starting gate was a struggle during the early days.
“The first year we sold nine slots at $100,000 U.S. That was the only year we sold the slots in U.S. dollars. Starting in year two, we made it Canadian dollars.
“It was a pretty big risk for anyone to put up that much money, so we knew going into this year's edition that we had to make some changes.”
To ensure the new kid in town remained a boon for both Mohawk and the harness racing business, McLinchey and company decided to reduce the slot price from $100,000 to $50,000. Added money for the Mohawk Million purse also increased to $500,000, up from $100,000 in 2023.
“What that did was make it a lot more economical for more people,” he said. “We went from coming right down to the wire every year at the slot sale deadline, hoping to have 10 purchasers, to this year having 21 people signing up to buy a slot. It really changed from where it was tough to fill, to all of a sudden there were people lined up wanting in.”
The 2024 Mohawk Million also marks the first iteration in which all 10 slots were available for sale. Previously, only nine were listed with the 10th and final entry going to the winner of the William Wellwood Memorial.
Now open to a wider crop of hopefuls, McLinchey is bullish on the prospect of another burgeoning trotter using the Million as a launchpad to stardom. And for good reason, given the abundant supply of notable names and thrilling theatrics throughout the years.
“To be honest, it's dramatic from the planning process right until the race itself,” laughed McLinchey. “We weren't sure in past years that it was going to fill, so having some phenomenal horses like Venerable -- she put on a great performance in 2021 -- Venerate winning the first one, and then last year with T C I, who made a break at the start and then came back to win the race, that's something you just don't see in a major stakes race.”
Trained by Ron Burke, T C I stormed back from 15 lengths behind the lead to capture last year’s Mohawk Million in awe-inspiring fashion.
For all the astonishment to come out of the Million in its short, but spectacular existence, the Metro Pace has been equally important for the next generation of elite pacers.
“If you look back through the years, the Metro is one of the most exciting races on the race calendar,” said McLinchey. “It's always gone for big money, but it's always been, what I would say, the marquee race for two-year-old pacing colts. It’s the race where you get to show off the rising stars. Maybe we look at the horse who wins this year’s running as the one that's going to stamp themselves as the favourite for next year's North America Cup.”
After all, the formula has worked before.
“You can go back 20 years when Rocknroll Hanover won the Metro and stamped himself as the best two-year-old. Then he went on to be the best three-year-old the following year. It really was that stepping stone for him.”
At 31-1, Rocknroll Hanover paid $64.20 for the Metro victory. The son of Western Ideal-Rich N Elegant went on to earn more than $3 million across 26 starts (15-5-5) before embarking on a successful career as a stallion. The bay sired several accomplished starters, including Rock N Roll Heaven ($2.7 million - 1:47.3), Put On A Show ($2.4 million - 1:47.3) and A Rocknroll Dance ($2.4 million - 1:47.2s).
Such a career arc gives McLinchey hope that the next Rocknroll Hanover could reveal themselves on Saturday night.
“We saw a future superstar’s coming out party that night. Maybe there’s an opportunity for something like that this time around.”
The Metro Pace has served as a litmus test for the sport’s top pacers for some 36 years now.
Totally Ruthless scored the very first edition in 1988 with driver Bill O’Donnell handling the reins. In the years that followed, Artsplace (1990), Somebeachsomewhere (2007) and Captaintreacherous (2012) all added a Metro Pace title to their Hall of Fame resumes.
While the Metro Pace and Mohawk Million will take centre stage on Saturday night, the two marquee matches will be flanked by three more stakes finals -- the Canadian Trotting Classic, Elegantimage and Shes A Great Lady.
“You almost feel a little guilty,” said McLinchey. “We have a race like the Canadian Trotting Classic, which is a phenomenal race, and it's probably considered a little bit of the undercard with the two million-dollar races on the docket.”
Regardless of each race’s position on the card, horseplayers will have an abundance of wagering opportunities throughout the evening, including an all stakes Pick 5 starting in race six.
McLinchey is optimistic that the steady presence of top-tier talent will drive healthy betting pools for horseplayers to engage with.
“I'm hoping they're going to see great racing from race one right through to the end of the card. I feel we have the best horses, best trainers and best drivers, all on one race card. There's an opportunity to see something remarkable in every race on Saturday night.”
As for the two-year-olds looking to propel themselves to new heights, McLinchey equated their journey to this moment to one of professional sport’s most grueling, but sought-after feats.
“It feels like a culmination of everything for the two-year-olds that started qualifying at Mohawk in June and have raced in some of our overnights and smaller series all summer. This is like their World Series.”
For more on the fields for Saturday's major stakes races, click here.
(Woodbine)