Grand Circuit heads to Woodbine Mohawk Park

Harness Racing This Week: Somebeachsomewhere and Graduate Series, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ontario.

Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action will take place on both Friday (June 3) and Saturday (June 4) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

On Friday, Mohawk will host a C$93,750 Graduate Series leg for 4-year-old Open trotters. Then on Saturday, a big card of Grand Circuit racing will be led by two divisions in the C$161,000 Somebeachsomewhere for 3-year-old pacing colts, two C$62,500 divisions in a Graduate Series leg for 4-year-old Open pacers and a single $50,000 Graduate Series contest for 4-year-old pacing mares.

Last Time: Trainer Jeff Cullipher said his trotter Lovedbythemasses (Muscle Mass) had to put his “big boy pants on” in Sunday’s (May 29) $100,000 Maxie Lee Memorial Invitational.

From the looks of it, the pants were a good fit.

Parked out from post seven around the first turn and unable to get to the inside for the opening three-eighths of a mile, Lovedbythemasses cleared to the lead on his way to the half and held on from there to capture the Maxie Lee for older trotters by 1-1/4 lengths over favorite Hillexotic in 1:51 at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Amigo Volo found racing room in the stretch to finish third and Eurobond was fourth.

At the start, Lovedbythemasses found himself fourth as Hillexotic, Mississippi Storm, and Amigo Volo all left the gate quickly to his inside. Driver Tim Tetrick and Lovedbythemasses continued forward as Hillexotic led the field to the opening quarter in :26.4.

After getting to the top, Lovedbythemasses reached the half in :55 and three-quarters in 1:22.3. Hillexotic and driver Yannick Gingras launched their bid to reclaim the front as the leaders rounded the final turn, but Lovedbythemasses dug in and refused to lose.

“I knew Timmy wasn’t going to let Yannick just cut it and steal the race,” Cullipher said. “I knew he was going to have to push the issue some. In these kinds of races, you’ve got to toughen up and put your big boy pants on.

“It was exciting. I got a little nervous coming around the last turn, but he’s pretty tough. He’s got the will to win, so it wasn’t going to be easy to get by him.”

Tetrick, who leads all drivers in wins at Philly this year, said the trip around the first turn was cause for concern.

“Most definitely,” Tetrick said. “It’s hard to be out a long way here, but my horse has been really sharp and strong all year. At the quarter pole, I was hoping Yannick would want to sit the two hole. My horse kept marching right along, and he earned that win. My horse was tired in the middle of the last turn. When (Hillexotic) tipped, my horse actually found a little more air and he pinned his ears and said he was going to win this race. And he did.

“My horse was tired, but he deserved it. He had the seven hole and had to work his way all the way to the lead. It was a big mile.”

The victory was Tetrick’s seventh in the Maxie Lee, which began in 2007.

“This is a really lucky race for me; I’ve had a lot of success with it,” Tetrick said. “It’s kind of my home track here, I live 20 minutes away, so I love racing here.”

Lovedbythemasses has won seven of nine races this year and earned $162,980. For his career, the 5-year-old gelding has won 25 of 58 starts and banked $462,009. He is owned by Pollack Racing LLC and Cullipher, who purchased the gelding in January 2021. He was bred by Wade Peconi and Windemere Farms.

“We saw last year that he was a good horse, and he’s come back good so far,” Cullipher said. “It’s been great.”

Sent off as the 5-2 second choice behind 2-1 Hillexotic, Lovedbythemasses paid $7.00 to win.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2022, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farms is the sponsor for the 2022 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders (through the races on 5-29-22):

Drivers: 1. Jordan Stratton – 151; 2. Jason Bartlett – 126; 3. Dexter Dunn – 122; 4. Yannick Gingras – 115: 5. George Brennan – 110.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 178; 2. Ake Svanstedt – 77; 3. Jen Bongiorno – 67; 4. Cory Stratton – 65; 5. Dave Dewhurst – 55.

Owners: 1. Jesmeral Stable – 62; 2. The OK Corral – 57; 3t. Mark Ford – 40; 3t. Team Tritton Inc. – 40; 5. Burke Racing Stable – 32.9.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next week at MGM Northfield Park and Woodbine Mohawk Park. Northfield will host the Battle of Lake Erie for older open pacers. Mohawk will have eliminations in the Pepsi North America Cup (3-year-old male pacers), Fan Hanover (3-year-old filly pacers), Goodtimes (3-year-old male trotters), Armbro Flight (older trotting mares) and Roses Are Red (older pacing mares).

For complete Friday race entries, click here.

For complete Saturday race entries, click here.

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit