Maple Leaf Trot & Trotting Classic elims set

CAMPBELLVILLE, September 5 – The eliminations for several harness racing events, including the Maple Leaf Trot and Canadian Trotting Classic, were drawn Tuesday at Mohawk Racetrack.

An All-Star group of 15 older trotters were entered in this year's Maple Leaf Trot, while the Canadian Trotting Classic attracted 13 sophomore colts and geldings.

The Maple Leaf Trot eliminations will take place on Friday (September 8) and will feature two $40,000 splits, with the top-five finishers from each advancing to the $593,000 final.

Friday's opening elimination (Race 8) is highlighted by a pair of trotting mares.

Hannelore Hanover (PP3, Yannick Gingras) and Pasithea Face (PP7, Tim Tetrick) will tackle the boys in search of becoming the latest female winner of Canada's most storied trotting race.

The last mare to win the Maple Leaf Trot was Bee A Magician in 2015.

Hannelore Hanover will be seeking redemption after finishing second in last year's event. The Ron Burke trained five-year-old has four wins and three seconds in eight starts this season to bring her career totals to 30 wins from 49 starts and over $1.8 million earned.

Last year's Dan Patch and O'Brien Award winner, Hannelore Hanover is seven for eight at Mohawk, including victories in the last two editions of the Armbro Flight.

Pasithea Face is new to the North American racing scene, but has quickly made an impact. The five-year-old daughter of Muscle Hill was foaled and raced in Sweden before coming to North America this season.

Pasithea Face racked up impressive victories and earnings in Sweden for trainer Lutfi Kolgjini prior to joining the Jimmy Takter barn a few months ago. Owned by Courant Inc, the five-year-old is two for four in North America with victories in the $176,250 Steele Memorial at The Meadowlands and a leg of the Miss Versatility at Tioga, where she set a Track Record of 1:50.4.

The first elimination is completed by Homicide Hunter (PP1, Brett Miller), Il Sogno Dream (PP2, Trevor Henry), Lookslikeachpndale (PP4, Dan Dube), Odds On Amethyst (PP5, Pat Hudon) and JL Cruze (PP6, David Miller).

Defending champion Resolve (PP7) headlines the second elimination (Race 9). The Ake Svanstedt trainee is looking to become the first back-to-back Maple Leaf Trot winner since San Pail pulled off a three-peat in 2011.

A six-year-old son of Muscle Hill, Resolve is four for nine this season and is coming in off victories in the $170,000 Crawford Farms Trot at Tioga and $303,050 Cashman Memorial at The Meadowlands.

Resolve's career totals currently sit at 18 wins and over $2.7 million earned for owner Hans Enggren.

Marion Marauder (PP2, Scott Zeron), last year's Triple Crown hero, returns to Mohawk in the second split. The Mike Keeling-Paula Wellwood trainee is three for six this season and has certainly held his own since moving up to the older ranks.

The four-year-old son of Muscle Hill is a 14-time winner with over $2.4 million earned for owners Jean Wellwood and Devin Keeling.

The second elimination is rounded out by Crazy Wow (PP1, Yannick Gingras), Gural Hanover (PP3, Matt Kakaley), Mambo Lindy (PP4, Tim Tetrick), Musical Rhythm (PP5, Mario Baillargeon), Warrawee Roo (PP6, Sylvain Filion) and Windsun Revenge (PP8, Rick Zeron).

The Canadian Trotting Classic eliminations will open up Saturday evening's 12-race card as Races 1 and 2. Each elimination goes for a purse of $40,000 with the top-five finishers advancing to the $684,000 final.

The opening split features a field of seven and is led by What The Hill (PP2, David Miller).

The Ron Burke trained son of Muscle Hill will be making his first start since being disqualified from first in the Hambletonian final on August 5. What The Hill has won half of his eight starts this season and sports career totals of seven wins and $454,947 earned.

The field for the first elimination also includes Bills Man (PP1, Corey Callahan), Dancer Hall (PP3, Doug McNair), Lindy The Great (PP4, Tim Tetrick), Victor Gio (PP5, Yannick Gingras), Try Try Again (PP6, Chris Christoforou) and Southwind Hydro (PP7, Marcus Johansson).

International Moni (PP4, Scott Zeron) will look to continue his success at Mohawk in the second elimination.

The Frank Antonacci trainee is a son of French stallion Love You and the great mare Moni Maker. International Moni captured last Saturday's $165,838 Simcoe Stakes to improve to three for three this season at Mohawk.

Owned and bred by the Moni Maker Stable, International Moni is five for seven in 2017 to bring his career totals to six wins and $508,282 earned.

The second elimination is completed by Seven And Seven (PP1, Doug McNair), Long Tom (PP2, Tim Tetrick), Dunbar Hall (PP3, Jody Jamieson), Dover Dan (PP5, Corey Callahan) and Southwind Cobra (PP6, Yannick Gingras).

The elimination winners in both the Maple Leaf Trot and Canadian Trotting Classic earn the right to select their post for the final.

The Maple Leaf Trot and Canadian Trotting Classic finals will take place on Saturday, September 16.

While Canada's two biggest trotting events are the main attraction, several other stakes eliminations and events are set for this weekend at Mohawk.

Friday evening's card will also feature the eliminations for the Milton Stakes, as a tremendous group of 15 older pacing mares have been split into two $35,000 divisions. Double millionaires Pure Country and Lady Shadow headline the eliminations.

A four-year-old daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, Pure Country (PP2, Mark MacDonald) is coming in hot to the first Milton elimination. The Jimmy Takter trainee is riding a two-race win streak with scores in the $158,000 Artiscape at Tioga and $200,400 Lady Liberty at The Meadowlands.

Sitting at two for eight this season, Pure Country is a 22-time winner with over $2.1 million in career earnings.

Six-year-old Lady Shadow (PP7, Yannick Gingras) has been the talk of the division for quite some time and the daughter of Shadow Play is looking to repeat as Milton Stakes champion after capturing last year's edition.

Debuting for new trainer Dave Menary, Lady Shadow comes into Friday's second elimination with six wins in seven starts this season. The champion mare added to her impressive list of accomplishments earlier this season by capturing the Roses Are Red Stakes at Mohawk for the third consecutive year.

Lady Shadow is a 34-time winner with career earnings exceeding $2.1 million.

The top five finishers from each Milton split will advance to the $256,000 final on September 16.

The full fields for the Milton eliminations and Friday's card can be viewed by clicking here.

Saturday evening's card also features the Elegantimage Stakes eliminations and the Simcoe Stakes for three-year-old pacers.

Ariana G headlines a group of 16 three-year-old trotting fillies entered in the Elegantimage. The Jimmy Takter trained daughter of Muscle Hill will start from post eight in Saturday's first elimination with driver Yannick Gingras.

A winner of over $1.4 million, Ariana G is seven for nine this season and is coming in off a strong 1:53.1 victory in last Friday's $166,872 Simcoe Stakes. The Takter trainee is 16 for 20 lifetime.

The top five finishers in the Elegantimage eliminations (Races 3 and 6) will advance to the $385,000 final on September 16.

The annual Grand Circuit week at Mohawk concludes Saturday with $162,838 Simcoe for three-year-old pacers and the $163,872 Simcoe Filly for three-year-old pacing fillies.

A field of 10 colts and geldings will meet in the Simcoe Open Stakes (Race 5).

Dr. Ian Moore trainee Classic Pro (PP7, Trevor Henry) is the highest earner in the field with $414,799 earned lifetime.

The Simcoe Filly Stakes features a field of nine and goes as Race 9.

IdyllicBeach (PP4, Yannick Gingras) and Bettors Up (PP9, Doug McNair) headline the Grand Circuit event.

A daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, IdyllicBeach is approaching $1 million in career earnings and is an 11-time winner for trainer Takter.

Scott McEneny trainee Bettors Up captured this year's Fan Hanover Stakes and is a 9-time winner. The daughter of Bettors Delight has earned over $300,000 this season to bring her career earnings up to $550,028.

The full fields for all of Saturday's races can be viewed by clicking here.

The finals for all of this weekend's stakes eliminations will take place on Saturday, September 16. The card on that evening will feature purses of over $2 million.

Post time for Friday and Saturday's card is 7:30 p.m.

Mark McKelvie