Elims set for Metro Pace, and more at Woodbine

Woodbine Mohawk Park is set to launch another night of Grand Circuit harness racing action on Saturday (Sept. 14) with the Milton Stakes final as well as eliminations for the $1 million Metro Pace, Canadian Trotting Classic, Elegantimage and Shes A Great Lady.

The $205,000 Milton Stakes for pacing mares headlines among the 13 races slated for a first post of 7:10 p.m.

Over $600,000 in purses are set to be distributed in addition to a place in the finals worth nearly $2.6 million in purses.

The finals for all of this Saturday’s eliminations will be held on Sept. 21, as part of Mohawk Million night.

Here is an outline of some of the top contenders in Saturday’s eliminations.

Metro Pace Eliminations

This year’s Metro Pace final will be the first since 2012 to have a purse of $1 million and has attracted 17 two-year-old pacing colts and geldings for the eliminations.

New Jersey Classic winner Captain Optimistic (Captaintreacherous, PP2, Yannick Gingras) is the co-headliner in the first $40,000 elimination. The Nancy Takter trainee has won four of five starts, including last week’s stake at The Meadowlands in 1:50.1.

Pennsylvania Sires Stakes champion Papis Rocket (Papi Rob Hanover, PP1, James MacDonald) enters with plenty of momentum after his victory in last week’s rich final. He is trained by Ron Burke and has collected three wins and seven top-three finishes from eight starts.

The first Metro elimination is carded as Race 5.

The Burke barn will be well-represented in the second Metro Pace elimination by the undefeated Swingtown (Downbytheseaside, PP1, Chris Page). He started his career with a win in the Next Generation Stake before winning four more Ohio Sired events.

Swingtown will put his perfect five for five record on the line against seven rivals on Saturday.

Scott McEneny trainee Boxer Seelster (Bettors Delight, PP7, Trevor Henry) is a two-time Grand Circuit winner. He won a division of the Champlain Stakes last Saturday after already winning the $230,000 Nassagaweya Stakes on August 24.

The second elimination for the Metro Pace goes as Race 10.

The top-five finishers from each elimination will advance to the $1 million Metro Pace final on Sept. 21. Elimination winners will draw for posts two through six.

Canadian Trotting Classic Eliminations

A group of 16 three-year-old trotting colts and geldings have been split into two $40,000 eliminations for the Canadian Trotting Classic.

Highland Kismet (Father Patrick, PP8, Bob McClure) is the top contender entering the Trotting Classic splits. The Mark Etsell trainee has won six of 10 starts this season, including the Goodtimes Stakes and Simcoe Stakes. He finished second in the Hambletonian Final and has made over $500,000 this season.

While all eyes will be on Highland Kismet, Amazing Catch (PP4, Dexter Dunn) will also lineup in the first elimination. The Ake Svanstedt trainee has finished third in each of his last three starts, including the Hambletonian Final and Beal Memorial, and has earned north of $340,000 in seven starts this year.

The first Canadian Trotting Classic elimination goes as Race 9.

Yonkers Trot winner Sir Pinocchio (PP6, Jason Bartlett) is the top earner of all starters in Saturday’s Canadian Trotting Classic eliminations. The Ed Hart trainee leads the second split and comes in fresh off a victory in last Saturday’s New York Sires Stakes Championship, his eighth win in 13 outings this season.

The second elimination for the Canadian Trotting Classic is listed as Race 11.

The top-five finishers from each elimination will qualify for the $713,000 Canadian Trotting Classic final on September 21. Elimination winners will draw for posts two through six.

Shes A Great Lady Eliminations

The Shes A Great Lady for two-year-old pacing fillies received 15 entrants for the elimination.

The first $35,000 split includes three winners of over $100,000, led by New York Sires Stakes standout Cowgirl Hanover (Huntsville, PP1, Doug McNair). The Jared Bako trained filly has won six of eight starts, finishing second in her only losses, to earn over $470,000.

Nancy Takter trainee My Sweet Lily (Sweet Lou, PP5, Yannick Gingras) arrives at Mohawk off a career-best 1:51.2 victory in last Friday’s New Jersey Classic. She has won two of three starts to begin her career.

Cant See Me (Captaintreacherous, PP6, Bob McClure) is another promising filly for trainer Shawn Steacy. The filly had things her own way to win a division of the Champlain Stakes last Saturday, picking up her third win in five starts.

The first Shes A Great Lady elimination is Race 1 on Saturday.

Chantilly (PP6, James MacDonald) brings an undefeated record into Saturday’s second $35,000 elimination. The Millar Farms homebred has dazzled in five starts to begin her career, including a pair of sub-1:51 miles. The Nick Gallucci trainee has earned over $250,000 to date.

The second split also includes New York Sires Stakes champion The Last Martini (PP2, Doug McNair), who has three wins and over $330,000 earned in six starts for trainer Jared Bako.

The second elimination for the Shes A Great Lady will go as Race 6.

The top-five finishers from each elimination will advance to the $532,000 Shes A Great Lady final on Sept. 21. Elimination winners will draw for posts two through six.

Elegantimage Eliminations

The Elegantimage for three-year-old trotting fillies will have two six-horse $35,000 eliminations contested on Saturday.

Local standout Drawn Impression (PP6, Louis-Philippe Roy) will look to keep up her winning ways in the first elimination. The Luc Blais trainee is entering Saturday’s race off convincing victories in the Simcoe Stakes and Casual Breeze Stakes.

New York Sires Stakes champion R Melina (PP4, Todd McCarthy) is another prominent contender in the first division. The John Butenschoen trainee has won seven of 11 starts this season, including last Saturday’s New York final and an elimination of the Hambletonian Oaks.

The first Elegantimage elimination will go as Race 2.

Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) rivals R Liza and Willys Home Run will meet again in the second Elegantimage elimination.

R Liza (PP3, Jody Jamieson) has won five of eight starts this season, including the SBOA Stakes and three OSS Gold divisions. The Susie Kerwood trainee is looking to return to winning form after finishing sixth and third in recent Grand Circuit events.

Last year’s O’Brien Award winner Willys Home Run (PP4, James MacDonald) turned in a strong rally to finish second in the Simcoe Stakes on August 31. The Kyle Fellows trainee has two wins and six top-two finishes in eight starts this season.

The second elimination for the Elegantimage is carded as Race 3.

The top-five finishers from each elimination will advance to the $347,000 Elegantimage Stakes final on Sept. 21. Elimination winners will draw for posts two through six.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Mark McKelvie, for Woodbine Mohawk Park