Ghostly Casper perfect through two

Ghostly Casper (Resolve) won his second straight Canadian-sired Graduate Series leg to start the year on Friday (Apr. 19) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The stallion shifted out behind Like Chaos (Trevor Henry) on the far turn and followed that cover into the stretch. There, Tyler Borth showed him open racetrack, and Ghostly Casper muscled to the top, helped by the break of pacesetter Tuscan Prince (Louis-Philippe Roy). Osceola (Doug McNair) and Passarino (Sylvain Filion) converged on the new leader late, but Ghostly Casper had it under wraps and completed the 1:53.4 victory. Oscola was second by a length after edging out Passarino late.

GHOSTLY CASPER REPLAY

Ghostly Casper is unbeaten in two starts this year, both in the Canadian-sired Graduate Series for four-year-old trotters. The Benoit Baillargeon trainee, an Ontario Sires Stakes champion and Hambletonian starter last year, is now six-for-31 lifetime with $646,179 in earnings. Baillargeon co-owns him with Teresa Davidson of Milton, Santo Vena of Cedar Valley, and Nunzio Vena of Bolton.

In the other Canadian-sired Graduate Series event on the night, Powder Play (Sportswriter, Jody Jamieson) nailed leg one winner Talk Curdy To Me (James MacDonald) at the line to take the second round for pacing mares in 1:51.4. Ima Doll (Tyler Borth) was two-and-a-quarter lengths adrift in third.

POWDER PLAY REPLAY

Powder Play’s win was her 11th lifetime in 39 starts. She was a game second in the first leg for trainer Meg Crone and has hit the board in eight of 11 tries this year. Robert Woodburn owns the mare, a career earner of $158,505.

The trotting and pacing mare groups of the Canadian-sired Graduate Series will compete next in leg three on Apr. 26. The open pacers are set for their third leg on Saturday (Apr. 20). Each division will contest its $75,000 final on May 4.

The card also featured the second leg of the Ontario-sired Spring Series for three-year-old colts and geldings. Captain Wania (Resolve, Trevor Henry, 1:56.4) won the only trotting division, and Max Patrick (Sportswriter, Bob McClure, 1:53.1) and Your Party (Stag Party, Martin Lachance, 1:53) took the pacing splits. The series final, worth $40,000 of added money, is slated for Apr. 27.

Woodbine Mohawk Park will conclude its week of racing on Saturday, Apr. 20. The first of 12 races, which include two Preferreds, will kick off at 7:10 p.m. EDT>

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink