Many of the best two-year-old trotters in the sport will be converging on Mohawk Racetrack this Monday, September 11 for the William Wellwood Memorial and Peaceful Way Stakes eliminations.
Each event requires two $30,000 eliminations to determine the fields for the finals on Monday, September 18.
The Wellwood Memorial has attracted 19 colts and geldings, while 18 fillies will battle in the Peaceful Way eliminations.
Trainer Jimmy Takter will be front and centre with the leading trotter in each event.
Muscle Hill colt You Know You Do headlines the Wellwood eliminations. The Peter Haughton winner starts from post-three in the second split (Race 8) for Takter and driver Yannick Gingras.
A winner of $253,872, You Know You Do is four for six with a mark of 1:54.2. The $350,000 yearling purchase most recently captured a division of the Champlain Stakes on September 1 at Mohawk.
The second elimination also includes Ben Baillargeon trainee Alarm Detector. The son of Chapter Seven suffered his first defeat when he finished second to You Know You Do in the Champlain.
Alarm Detector, a $110,000 Harrisburg yearling purchase, is four for five with $61,870 earned. Trevor Henry will steer the Baillargeon trainee from post-five against eight other rivals.
Lawmaker (PP2, Anthony MacDonald), the runner-up in last Sunday’s Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Championship, and Levitation (PP8, Doug McNair), an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold winner, are two of the other notables in the field.
The first elimination (Race 5) will see a very competitive field of ten competing.
The Takter barn will send out a strong duo in the first split, as Samo Different Day (PP2, Gingras) and Maxus (PP10, Gingras) will seek a spot in the rich final.
A son of Cantab Hall, Samo Different Day is just one for six, but has hit the board in five of those starts and banked $126,747.
Maxus, a son of Muscle Hill, also has just one victory, but has earned a cheque in all seven of his starts to carry earnings of $77,325 into Monday’s contest.
The second highest earner in the first elimination is Paul Reid trainee Winning American (PP5, Jody Jamieson). The son of Kadabra is still a maiden, but has finished second in three of four starts to bring his earnings to $100,060.
Another notable in the first elimination is Cruising In Style (PP1, Jason Bartlett), a New York Sires Stakes winner. The Amy MacDonald trainee is two for six with five top-three finishes and earnings of $52,240.
The top-five finishers in each Wellwood split will advance to the $400,000 final.
Following in a long line of talented trotting fillies before her, Manchego appears to be the next big thing from the Takter barn.
The daughter of Muscle Hill is six for six with $335,898 earned heading into Monday’s Peaceful Way eliminations. A $120,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase, Manchego has victories in the Jim Doherty Memorial and Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Championship to her name.
The Takter star will start from post-two in Race 2 and will have Gingras in the sulky.
The first Peaceful Way elimination also features Pure Ivory and Champlain winner Courtney Hanover. Trainer/driver Rick Zeron will send out the daughter of Cantab Hall from post-six.
Courtney Hanover is three for six with $71,570 earned.
The second elimination is carded as Race 3 and is headlined by Explosive Matter filly Phaetosive. The Trond Smedshammer trained rookie is two for three with $103,565 banked.
Phaetosive has drawn the outside post-nine and will be making her first start since finishing second to Manchego in the Doherty Memorial on August 5.
The Zeron barn will also be represented in the second split, as Champlain winner Atlanta starts from post-eight. The daughter of Chapter Seven is on a two-race win streak and is two for five overall with $55,025 earned.
The top-five finishers in each Peaceful Way elimination will advance to the $375,000 final.
Post time for Monday’s card is 7:30 p.m.
The Mohawk Terrace Dining Room will be open for the Wellwood Memorial and Peaceful Way finals on Monday, September 18. A special buffet will be offered for $22.95 and reservations can be made by calling 1-888-675-7223.
(WEG)
To view entries for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.