Grand Circuit heads “Super Saturday” at Mohawk

MILTON, ON – May 31, 2023 – The first “Super Saturday” of the harness racing stakes season is set for this weekend at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The Somebeachsomewhere, Graduate Series and Miss Versatility are all carded to take place on Saturday’s 11-race card. A total of seven Grand Circuit stakes divisions will be contested.

SOMEBEACHSOMEWHERE

The road to this year’s Pepsi North America Cup makes a stop Saturday for the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes. A total of 23 three-year-old pacers were dropped in the box, splitting into three divisions.

The first $75,000 division will feature a battle of a top US “Cup” contender against some local standouts.

Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) star Fulton (PP6, Dexter Dunn) is the 9-5 morning-line choice. The Linda Toscano trainee captured last year’s PASS Championship and has started this season with back-to-back wins in Sires Stakes action to improve to eight for 11 overall.

Waving the local flag is the near-perfect No Control (PP2, Tyler Jones), who will have many local supporters rooting him on in his Grand Circuit debut. The Tan Micallef trainee is six for seven, swept the Ontario Spring Series and recently posted a career-best 1:50.3 victory.

The first division goes as Race 3.

The second $75,000 split is a deep and competitive contest.

Tony Alagna trainee El Rey (PP2, Scott Zeron) will make his Mohawk Park debut. Last year’s Governor’s Cup winner finished second in his season debut on May 20 at The Meadowlands.

Mitchell York student Annapolis Hanover (PP6, David Miller) also ships to Ontario for the first-time. The gelded pacer has never missed the top-three in 16 career starts, including nine trips to the winner’s circle. He was most recently second in a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes division on May 28.

The Virgil Morgan Jr. trained Bamboozler (PP3, Dexter Dunn) is also a top contender in the second split. The gelded pacer has a win and two seconds in three starts this season, all in PASS action.

SBOA Stakes Final winner Write Me A Rose (PP8, Sylvain Filion) will look to keep the momentum rolling for trainer Kyle Fellows. The talented sophomore has started his season with three wins in four starts after winning three of nine as a rookie.

The second division is carded as Race 7.

The third $75,000 division features two of the top-rated local contenders for the NA Cup.

O’Brien and Dan Patch Award winner Stockade Seelster (State Treasurer, PP4, Jody Jamieson) will be looking to bounce back after being defeated by a nose in the SBOA Stakes Final on May 20. The Dr. Ian Moore trainee won eight of 11 starts last season, including the Metro Pace and OSS Super Final.

Fresh off a career-best effort, Bob McIntosh trainee Moment Is Here (PP5, James MacDonald) looms as a major player. The gelded son of All Bets Off posted an eye-catching 1:49 national season’s mark last Saturday at Mohawk. The four-time winner captured an OSS Gold division last season and raced in the Metro Pace.

The third and final Somebeachsomewhere division is carded as Race 9.

GRADUATE SERIES

Woodbine Mohawk Park is playing host to the first leg of this year’s Graduate Series for four-year-olds.

The Graduate Pace event attracted 15 entrants for two $66,500 divisions, while the Graduate Trot will feature a field of six competing for $99,750.

The first Graduate Pace division will see the season debut of former Ontario Sires Stakes star Stonebridge Helios (PP2, Dexter Dunn). The winner of over half a million now competes for trainer Ake Svanstedt and returns to his old stomping grounds off a pair of qualifying efforts.

The opening split is headlined by Juravinski Memorial Cup winner Fourever Boy (PP4, Trevor Henry). The Tim Twaddle trainee capitalized off a two-hole trip to win the $262,000 event at Flamboro on May 21, boosting his career numbers to six wins and over $900,000 earned.

The second Graduate Pace division includes recent Ontario Graduate Series winner Cold Creek Queso (PP3, Sylvain Filion). The Murray Brethour trainee will be looking to bounce back from an eighth-place finish in the Juravinski Memorial. Last year’s OSS Super Final winner holds a mark of 1:48.2.

The Graduate Pace divisions are carded as Races 6 and 8.

The Graduate Trot event stars the season debuting Jiggy Jog S (PP2, Dexter Dunn). The Svanstedt trainee is the lone mare in the field of six and is making her first start since capturing the Breeders Crown last October at Mohawk.

The group of six also includes last year’s Canadian Trotting Classic winner Slay (PP5, Joe Bongiorno) for trainer Tony Alagna.

The Graduate Trot will go as Race 2.

MISS VERSATILITY

The second leg of the Miss Versatility Series for mare trotters will also take place Saturday at Mohawk Park with a field of seven battling for a purse of $53,200.

Local star Adare Castle (PP7, James MacDonald) will get her first taste of Grand Circuit action for 2023. The Mark Etsell trainee swept the Ontario Graduate Series with four wins and most recently finished third in a Free For All event.

An 18-time winner, Adare Castle has earned $1.2 million on the racetrack.

Raised By Lindy, who won last year’s Elegantimage, is also part of the field.

The Miss Versatility is carded as Race 4.

ENTIRES, POST TIME, WATCH & WAGER

To view the full entries (prior to final driver changes) for Saturday’s card, click here.

Post time for Saturday’s 11-race card is 7 p.m.

Fans unable to be on track Saturday can watch and wager on all of the stakes action through HPIbet.com.

For the latest information, visit here or follow @WoodbineSB and @WoodbineComms on Twitter.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Mark McKelvie, for Woodbine Communications