O'Brien Award winners Chantilly and Nijinsky garnered much of the attention and showed some of that award-winning speed during the session of qualifiers on Friday, Sept. 19 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The fastest mile of the morning came courtesy 2024 Pepsi North America Cup winner Nijinsky, who went on to win divisional honours as Canada's Three-Year-Old Male Pacer of the Year. After taking some time off during July and August to rehab an injury, Nijinsky returned a week ago to qualify. Pacing in 1:53.3 a week ago, he was nearly two seconds better in victory this time around.
With regular driver Louis-Philippe Roy at the lines, Nijinsky fronted his four rivals through fractions of :28.3, :58 and 1:25.2 before sprinting home in :26.2 for the 1:51.4 score. Finishing second after pacing a final quarter of :26.1 was three-time O'Brien Award winner So Much More (Doug McNair), 2-1/2 length back, with Trosa A (James MacDonald) next across the wire.
"He was awesome," trainer Tony Beaton told Trot Insider on Friday afternoon, indicating that the next test for Nijinsky is yet to be determined.
A four-year-old son of Bettors Delight - Pirouette Hanover, Nijinsky is owned by West Wins Stable of Wellington, Fl., John Fielding of Scarborough, Ont., Mark Dumain of Pine Bush, N.Y. and Winbak Farm of Chesapeake City, Md. He boasts a record of 14-8-4 from 32 starts with more than $1.9 million in earnings.
Two qualifiers later, 2024 Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year Chantilly made her first on-track appearance in nearly four weeks with a 1:52.2 performance of her own.
Sitting in the pocket for driver James MacDonald as Rose Colordglasses (Blair Burgess) paced through moderate fractions of :28.1, :57.3 and 1:25.1, Chantilly was amped up and ready to pounce once the leaders turned for home and quickly lunged past the pacesetter at the head of the lane. A wrapped-up and geared-down Chantilly paced her final quarter in :27 to trip the timer in 1:52.2.
"It was great to have her back," said trainer Nick Gallucci. "Everything seemed on point with her."
Gallucci told Trot Insider that the plan for Chantilly is another qualifier in one week's time, then a start in the final Ontario Sires Stakes Gold event for three-year-old pacing fillies on Oct. 2.
Chantilly (Big Jim - Shiraz Seelster) is owned by her breeder, Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont. She sports a lifetime record of 13-1-0 from 16 starts with more than $1.2 million in earnings.
The replay of the full qualifying session is available below.
For results from the qualifying session, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).
(Standardbred Canada)