The continent’s finest two-year-old pacers will be showcased Saturday at Mohawk Racetrack in the $683,000 Metro Pace – the richest race of what shapes up as a blockbuster card of harness racing.
More than $1.7 million in purses are being offered in three stakes alone - the Metro Pace , the $651,000 Canadian Pacing Derby and the $451,000 Shes A Great Lady.
The Metro Pace, captured by stars like Rocknroll Hanover (2004), Somebeachsomewhere (2007), Sportswriter (2009) and Captaintreacherous (2012), is headed by the three elimination winners from last Saturday - Western Vintage, Arthur Blue Chip and Lets Drink On It. By virtue of their elimination wins, those colts earned their connections the privilege of picking a post position before the balance of the field was drawn.
Morning line favourite Western Vintage (PP3, Yannick Gingras), who has been installed odds of 3-1, enters the final following an impressive two-length score in 1:51.3 over Winds Of Change and Play It Again Sam. Owned by Perry Soderberg of New Jersey and trained by Nancy Johansson, the son of Western Ideal-Major Harmony was just a $7,000 yearling purchase but has now banked $117,250 while taking four of five starts.
“He was full of pace. He was just waiting for me to call on him,” said Gingras, after the race. “Every time I’ve called on him so far, he’s had something left. I think he has as good a chance as anybody and he’s done nothing wrong so far.”
Arthur Blue Chip (PP4, Randy Waples) was equally as impressive in his elim, fending off all challengers to win by one and one-half lengths in 1:51.2 over Luck Be Withyou and Tellitlikeitis. Trained by Dr. Ian Moore for the Shadow One Stable of Guelph, Ontario, the son of Shadow Play-Advantest was a $135,000 yearling purchase but has already ‘won himself out’. He has stashed $194,495 in the bank while taking five of seven starts.
“He’s getting to be a really nice colt now,” said Moore. “He’s just getting better every day.”
Lets Drink On It (PP2, Jim Morrill, Jr.) showed a lot of determination last week, rebuffing a late bid by Boomboom Ballykeel to prevail by a neck in 1:51.1 - the fastest of the three elims. Trained by Joe Seekman for owners Martin Scharf, Larry Bond and Hal Hewitt, the son of Art Official-Letmedowneasy has won four of six outings and $117,417. He was a $12,000 yearling sale purchase.
Completing the field for the Metro Pace, which goes postward at 9:25 p.m., are Boomboom Ballykeel (PP1, Sylvain Filion), Tellitlikeitis (PP5, Ron Pierce), Winds Of Change (PP6, Scott Zeron), Luck Be Withyou (PP7, Phil Hudon), Beat The Drum (PP8, TBA), Play It Again Sam (PP9, David Miller) and Ideal Magic (PP10, Tim Tetrick).
The Canadian Pacing Derby, first contested in 1936, annually brings together the best older pacers in North America. Over the last decade superstars like Real Desire, Art Major, Lis Mara, Mister Big and Foiled Again have added their names to an impressive list of CPD champions.
Topping this year’s lineup are last week’s elimination winners, A Rocknroll Dance and Bolt The Duer.
A Rocknroll Dance (PP3, Tim Tetrick) set a Canadian record of 1:47.3 last Saturday, hanging on by a neck over Clear Vision. One week earlier the four-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover-Wichita Hanover turned in a world record performance of 1:47.4 when captured an Invitational at Pocono Downs.
It was the 15th win for A Rocknroll Dance, who has banked over $2 million for trainer James Mulinix and A Rocknroll Dance Stable of Wauseon, Ohio.
Bolt The Duer (PP2, Mark MacDonald) took his elim by three and one-quarter lengths over Sweet Lou in 1:48.1. The four-year-old son of Ponder-Wonderbolt was also coming off a world record performance when taking the Gerrity at Saratoga in 1:49. It was the 19th career win for the career winner in excess of $1.6 million. Peter Foley trains the pacer for All Star Racing of Towaco, New Jersey.
Other big names set to renew rivalries in the Derby, set for 10:25 pm, are the Ron Burke-trained and co-owned Sweet Lou (PP1, Yannick Gingras), who has earned almost $2 million and the nine-year-old defending champion Foiled Again (PP5, TBA) - the richest pacer in history with career earnings of over $5.2 million and 70 wins. He pulled off a 14-1 upset winning last year’s CPD final.
Elim winners Precocious Beauty and Beach Gal head the Shes A Great Lady for two-year-old filly pacers, slated for 8:45 p.m.
Precocious Beauty (PP2, Doug McNair) was a two and one-quarter length winner last week in 1:52.1 as the 1-2 choice. It was her third win in five starts. The daughter of Art Major-Precious Beauty, trained by Gregg McNair for owner-breeder James Avritt of Lebanon, Kentucky, also romped in a division of the Eternal Camnation on August 17. She set a stakes record of 1:50.2 that night.
Lightly-raced Beach Gal (PP3, Scott Zeron) pulled off a 17-1 shocker in her elim, blowing by her rivals in a blistering 1:50.3 to win by four lengths. Trained by David Menary for Ontario owners Ken Ewen, Hewvilla Farms, Denis Breton and Larry Menary, the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Michelle My Gal was making just her third career start in the elim.
Post time for the first of 12 races on Saturday is 7:25 p.m.
(WEG)
To view entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.