An incredible weekend of racing is fast approaching at Mohawk Racetrack, with many of the nation’s highest profile horses, trainers and drivers in action at the Campbellville, Ontario oval.
On Friday evening the spotlight will shine brightly on female trotters as three-year-old fillies prepare to spar in a set of $35,000 eliminations for this year’s Elegantimage Stakes and older trotting mares get set to square off in a pair of $50,000 eliminations for the Armbro Flight Stakes.
All Ready Hanover (PP2 – Trevor Ritchie) figures to be one of the major players in the first Elegantimage elimination based on the way she performed in her division of the Casual Breeze last Friday evening at Mohawk for the tandem of driver Trevor Ritchie and trainer Ann Karin Larsen. The daughter of Chocolatier tripped out behind race favourite Win Missy B in that $79,519 tilt before blowing past her in the lane en route to a career-best clocking of 1:53.4. It was her fourth win of the season in just five opportunities.
She’ll take on Win Missy B (PP7 – TBA) once again in addition to the likes of recent PASS winners Idonette (PP1 – John Campbell), Valdonna (PP5 – Ron Pierce) and Superstar Hanover (PP8 – Jimmy Takter).
All eyes will be on Check Me Out (PP1 – Tim Tetrick) in the second elimination as she looks for to build on her 1:53.4 performance in a division of the PASS at Harrah’s Philadelphia for trainer Ray Schnittker. The daughter of Donato Hanover, who assembled a 14-2-0 record from 16 starts as a rookie, has never finished worse than second in 18 career opportunities. She’ll look to add to her $954,301 bankroll in what will be her first start on Canadian soil since demolishing the female foes she faced in last year’s Breeders Crown final at Woodbine Racetrack.
She’ll take on this year’s Ontario SBOA Stakes winner Im On Cloud Nine (PP3 – Jack Moiseyev, the NJSS Final champ Personal Style (PP6 – David Miller), Casual Breeze divisional winner Smarty Pants (PP4 – Sylvain Filion) and the multiple PASS winner On The Bright Side (PP7 – Ron Pierce).
O’Brien Award winner China Pearls (PP2 – Randy Waples) will look to put homefield advantage to good use in the first of two $50,000 Armbro Flight eliminations. The daughter of Kadabra dead-heated for the top spot in a $30,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Trot at Mohawk on May 31 for trainer Carman Hie, and she’ll be looking to add to an impressive-looking bankroll which already stands at $524,655.
She’ll take on last year’s Perretti Farms Matchmaker champion Jersey AS (PP3 – Tim Tetrick) in addition to the locally-based speedball Bax Of Life (PP1 – Jason Brewer).
Last year’s Breeders Crown Open Mare Trot winner Frenchfrysnvinegar (PP4 – Jody Jamieson) will try to bounce back from an apparent bout of sickness which sidelined her from a scheduled start at Mohawk on May 31. Prior to that the Jeff Gillis-trained daughter of Angus Hall, who was voted the Older Trotting Mare of the Year in Canada last season, captured her division in the opening leg of the Miss Versatility Series in front-stepping fashion on May 20.
O’Brien Award finalist and Breeders Crown winner Cedar Dove (PP6 – Ron Pierce) also goes into Friday’s assignment fresh off a win in a division of the Miss Versatility Series. The second elimination also consists of the multiple NYSS winner Jezzy (PP5 – Tim Tetrick) and the defending Armbro Flight champ Action Broadway (PP8 – Doug McNair).
On Saturday night, in addition to the pair of Pepsi North America Cup eliminations, fans will be treated to a pair of eliminations for both the Fan Hanover for three-year-old pacing fillies and the Goodtimes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
The undefeated Sarandon Blue Chip (PP3 – David Miller) will look to keep her perfect record intact as she makes just her third lifetime start for trainer Casie Coleman. The Western Ideal lass enters Saturday’s assignment fresh off a wrapped-up triumph in the $150,000 NJSS final at The Meadowlands. She stopped the clock that night in 1:50.3 after breaking her maiden one week earlier in an eye-catching clocking of 1:51.2.
Pirouette Hanover (PP2 – Ron Pierce), who was second to Sarandon Blue Chip in the NJSS final, will look to add to her $582,944 bankroll in the opening elimination and so will recent Ontario SBOA champ Jet Wash (PP4 – TBA).
O’Brien Award winner American Jewel (PP8 – Tim Tetrick), who was second in her 2012 debut after going 8-for-9 last season for trainer Jimmy Takter, will take on last year’s Breeders Crown winner Economy Terror (PP2 – Brian Sears).
A season-ending injury sent the American Ideal youngster American Jewel to the sidelines early, but she still managed to stash away close to $670,000 in earnings. Economy Terror, who appears to be primed for her 2012 debut, seemed to get stronger as her freshman season wore on for trainer Chris Oakes. The Western Terror lass will try to add to her $956,266 bankroll this weekend.
The first of two Goodtimes eliminations will feature Il Mago (PP11 – Trevor Ritchie), who comes into Saturday’s assignment fresh off a sweep of the first OSS Gold Series event of the season at The Raceway at the Western Fair District. The son of Kadabra, who is trained by Rod Boyd, drew clear to win by four lengths in the $130,000 Gold Series final on closing night in London. He’ll look to add to his $255,710 bankroll in Saturday’s assignment.
Market Share (PP9 – Tim Tetrick), who was recently third in the $150,000 NJSS final at The Meadowlands, and Mikey Hanover (PP10 – Paul MacDonell), who is 4-for-5 this season, figure to give Il Mago a stern test in what appears to be a wide-open first elimination.
The second Goodtimes elimination will feature Guccio (PP3 – Jimmy Takter), who used a :26.4 closing panel to propel himself and trainer/driver Jimmy Takter to a second-place finish in last Saturday’s $150,000 NJSS final at The Meadowlands. The son of Yankee Glide had a hard time putting things together last season, but he’s looked very professional in his first two tries of the 2012 campaign.
The undefeated Knows Nothing (PP6 – Jody Jamieson) will get his class tested as he looks keep his perfect record intact for trainer Jeff Gillis. The son of Kadabra, who swept this year’s Tie Silk Series before winning an OSS Grassroots division at Mohawk, is 4-for-4 this season after being unraced as a rookie.
To view entries for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.
To view entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.