All Bets Off gelding debuts in 1:53.4

Moment Is Here (All Bets Off) produced the fastest time from a two-year-old so far this season in Canada in his first pari-mutuel harness racing start at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday (Jun. 24).

The gelding, guided by Trevor Henry, charged wide into the first turn after gapping the gate and settled onto the lead as he cut a :28 opening quarter. Lyons Brushmarks (Sportswriter, Doug McNair) vaulted past him with a swift brush as they approached the half in :57.4 and led to three-quarters in 1:27.

Lyons Brushmarks vacated the pylons at the top of the lane, allowing Moment Is Here to fly up the inside and score going away in 1:53.4 with a :26.2 kicker.

Lyons Brushmarks held onto second as Scribblers (Sportswriter, Bob McClure) closed for show. The winner was sent off favourite at 3/5.

MOMENT IS HERE REPLAY

Moment Is Here is a homebred for trainer Bob McIntosh, who shares ownership via his Windsor-based Robert McIntosh Stables with Al McIntosh Holdings of Leamington and Frank Baldachino of Harvey Cedars. The gelding is out of No Pan Intended mare Breathtacular, who has already produced four $100,000+ earners.

Write Me A Rose (Sportswriter, Sylvain Filion) also scored on debut. He took over the front in the second quarter and drew away down the stretch with a :27.1 last panel to win in 1:54.3.

Seven Out (Betting Line, Louis-Philippe Roy) was second over Lyons Excel (Lyonssomewhere, Henry). The win price was $4.80.

WRITE ME A ROSE REPLAY

Robert Don Fellows trains Write Me A Rose for owner/breeder Windermere Stable of New York. The colt is the first racing foal out of Caribbean Rose N (Bettors Delight), who earned $305,970 on the track.

Oh Look Magic (Lookslikeachpndale) prevailed over eight other first-time starters in the evening’s only trot for two-year-olds. Matthew Bax guided the gelding to a convincing wire-to-wire victory in 1:56.4 while coming home in :28.2. He returned $4.30 to win.

Mass Market (Muscle Mass, Henry) was three lengths back in second. Tailgate Buzz (Bar Hopping, James MacDonald) finished third.

OH LOOK MAGIC REPLAY

Bax Stable of Campbellville co-owns Oh Look Magic with Glengate Farms of Erin and The Cavalier Stable of Sharon. John Bax trains the first winner out of Kadabra mare Miami Magic.

The Friday program also featured two divisions of the first leg of a Pop-Up Series for pacing fillies and mares.

Veteran mare Itty Bitty (Always A Virgin), sent off at 6/5, was a length-and-a-quarter the best in the first division. Jonathan Drury provided the drive in the 1:53.4 win. Randomirogeo (MacDonald) was second after a taxing trip. Perfect Romi (Austin Sorrie) rode the pocket to a third-place finish.

ITTY BITTY REPLAY

Itty Bitty, a Carmen Auciello trainee, has won 30 times and brought in $440,932 in 135 career attempts. Stephen Klunowski of North York owns the mare that has now won twice in a row.

Big Diamond (Big Jim, Filion) proved tough in the second group as she brushed off two challengers from the lead in a 1:54.3 triumph. Day To Party (McNair) was one such attacker and held onto place. Cantstopthefeelin (MacDonald) closed gamely for third.

BIG DIAMOND REPLAY

The winner is now 15-for-81 lifetime and is nearing six-digit earnings with $98,734 currently in the bank. Jay Cochlin trains the five-year-old mare, who has won seven times this season, for Tanya Lawson of Seaforth.

Racing will be back at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, Jun. 25 with a 7:00 p.m. EDT first post.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink