Peaceful Way, Wellwood Memorial eliminations complete

Top two-year-old trotters visited Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (Aug. 20) to attempt to punch their tickets to the finals of the Peaceful Way and William Wellwood Memorial in eliminations for each harness racing stake.

The three eliminations for the Wellwood – an Open for two-year-old trotters which boasts a $640,000 purse and a free spot in the Mohawk Million to the victor – began with a powerful performance from Winners Bet (Walner, Doug McNair).

The colt brushed to the lead from fourth on the backstretch, rallied back against challenger Dahlquist Hanover (Trevor Henry), and rebuffed pocket-sitter Tuscan Prince (Bob McClure) for the win in 1:56.3.

The latter was a neck short. Gaines Hanover (Louis-Philippe Roy) went from eighth to third. Dahlquist Hanover faded to fourth.

WINNERS BET REPLAY

Winners Bet made the trek from his New Jersey headquarters after a first career win in the Kindergarten on Aug. 20. He has earned $33,600 in four tries. Domenico Cecere trains the colt for the Enfield-based Lindy Farms of Connecticut and Robert Rudolph of Vineland.

Oh Look Magic (Lookslikeachpndale, Matthew Bax) shocked in the second elimination as a coast-to-coast winner at 25-1 in a new lifetime mark of 1:55.1. Ghostly Casper (Sylvain Filion) cut down the deficit to a neck in second. French Wine (Andy Miller) closed for third over Nothingbutadreamer (McNair).

OH LOOK MAGIC REPLAY

John Bax conditions Oh Look Magic, who has now earned $70,422 and won three times in five lifetime outings. The gelding was victorious on debut in a conditioned contest before dominating an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold division. He galloped in his next appearance and was third in another Gold most recently. Bax Stable of Campbellville owns the gelding with breeder Glengate Farms of Erin and The Cavalier Stable of Sharon.

Cecere and Lindy Farms struck again as International Man (International Moni) closed out the eliminations with a front-stepping effort in 1:56 under the guidance of Yannick Gingras. Southwind Coors (Mike Saftic) was within a half-length in second. Snowpiercer (Paul MacDonell) took show with Hasty Bid (James MacDonald) fourth. Ontario Sires Stakes star Osceola broke stride and finished last.

INTERNATIONAL MAN REPLAY

International Man was one-for-two in the Kindergarten Series before travelling north of the border for the Wellwood. Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred the colt, who has now earned $27,400 in three tries.

The $640,000E William Wellwood Memorial final takes place on Saturday, Aug. 27 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The field will consist of the top three from each elimination plus one fourth-place finisher drawn by lot.

Warrawee Yes (Walner, Roy) controlled the race from the front and won the first Peaceful Way elimination for fillies in 1:55.3. Shesundertheradar (Sylvain Filion) closed the gap to three-quarters of a length with a final-quarter charge. Graceful Patty (Doug McNair) finished third. Tactical Planner (Tyler Jones) took fourth at the finish from Horn Player (Tyler Jones).

WARRAWEE YES REPLAY

Warrawee Yes was searching for her first victory coming into the race. She was winless in the Pure Ivory series as her first three starts but finished second in the final. Shawn Steacy trains the filly for Hudson Standardbred Stable of Hudson, Pamela Larson of Kent City, Bertrand Gilhespy Stable of Edmonton, and Shelly Macmillan of Waterloo.

Righteous Resolve (Resolve, Paul MacDonell) slew strongly favoured U.S. invader Heart On Fire (Dexter Dunn) in the second elimination. The former tracked the latter from the pocket and reversed the order with a stretch surge to score by a length-and-a-half in 1:55.3. Quite Fast (Matthew Bax) took show. Winooski (Tyler Jones) picked up the fourth-place cheque over Northern Magenta (James MacDonald).

RIGHTEOUS RESOLVE REPLAY

Righteous Resolve had won two Ontario Sires Stakes Gold events leading up to the elimination but was sent away at 5-1 in the face of Heart On Fire’s recent Kindergarten win. John Bax trains Righteous Resolve, a homebred for Bet Max Stables of Casco and Benenati Inc. of Clinton Township. The filly is now four-for-five with $150,525 in earnings.

The $400,000E Peaceful Way final is set for Saturday, Aug. 27 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The top five finishers from each elimination made it to the showdown.

Racing resumes at Woodbine Mohawk Park at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, Aug. 22 with three Grassroots divisions of leg four for three-year-old male trotters featured on a 10-race card. Two Pop-Up Series finals will also be contested.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink