Mohawk hosts Grand Circuit eliminations

MILTON, June 7, 2024 – Elimination weekend at Woodbine Mohawk Park kicked off Friday with splits for the Goodtimes and Roses Are Red.

A pair of eliminations were required for both harness racing events, with the Goodtimes for three-year-old trotters battling for $30,000 an elimination and the Roses Are Red for pacing mares at $35,000 a piece.

Top Mast (Walner) powered up to win a three-horse photo in the first Goodtimes elimination.

Driven by Sylvain Filion for Desiree Jones, Top Mast showed early speed and would sit third throughout. Shermont made the lead at the quarter, posting clips of :27.3, :56 and 1:24.3. Pick Pocket sat right behind for a two-hole trip.

In the stretch, the three leaders would square off right down to the wire, with Top Mast reaching up to win by a head over Pick Pocket and a neck over Shermont in 1:53.4.

Goober Smack finished fourth, while Finite was fifth to make the final.

“I (thought) I’m just going to stay here (in third) and see what happens,” said Filion about the trip. “Eventually it worked out for us. It goes to say you need luck to win big races. I knew the two front horses were battling hard and I was just staying covered up as long as I could and when I moved him and pulled the plugs he went on.”

TOP MAST REPLAY

Top Mast is now one for two to launch his three-year-old season for owner Gino Toscani. He won three of 10 starts at age two, banking over $150,000. The victory of 1:53.4 was a new lifetime best.

Top Mast returned $16.90 to win.

The much-hyped Highland Kismet (Father Patrick) lived up the noise by scoring a comfortable 1:54 win in the second Goodtimes elimination.

Driver Bob McClure took his time with Highland Kismet in a short field by getting away fifth and making a first-up march around the far turn. The heavy-favourite got up to leader Winter Soldier at the head of the lane and trotted away for the victory.

Private Access followed the winner with a good kicker to finish second, beat a length and three-quarters. Winter Soldier settled for third, while Griff and Myretirementdream completed the top-five.

HIGHLAND KISMET REPLAY

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Trained by Mark Etsell, Highland Kismet is now three for four to begin his career and has impressed many.

“This horse can give you a lot of confidence,” said McClure. “When I moved him over tonight it was just hang on and go. He puts his head down and takes off on you. He wants to win. He wants to chase them down.”

Highland Kismet is a homebred for Highland Thoroughbred Farm and has now made $37,000. He paid $3.30 to win.

Winners Top Mast and Highland Kismet secured a post position anywhere from two to six by winning their respective eliminations. Below is the draw for next Saturday’s $225,000 Goodtimes final.

1 – Pick Pocket (Walner)
​2 – Finite (Resolve)
​3 – Private Access (Muscle Hill)
​4 – Goober Smack (Flanagan Memory)
​5 – Top Mast (Walner)
​6 – Highland Kismet (Father Patrick)
​7 – Myretirementdream (Il Sogno Dream)
​8 – Winter Soldier (Face Time Bourbon)
​9 – Shermont (Tactical Landing)
​10 – Griff (Muscle Mass)
​AE – R Peaky Blinders (Kadabra)

Twin B Joe Fresh (Roll With Joe) kicked off the Roses Are Red eliminations with a blowout victory for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Chris Ryder.

Making her third start as a four-year-old, Twin B Joe Fresh got away fourth and was on the move early in the second-quarter. Prohibition Legal moved from third and was stretch a bit by Grace Hill to the half in :54.3.

Twin B Joe Fresh wasted little time overtaking the new leader entering the far turn and opened up a few lengths of separation at three-quarters in 1:21.4.

The stretch drive saw a wrapped up Twin B Joe Fresh cruise to a 4 ¼ length triumph in 1:50.4.

So Much More stayed to the rail after getting away seventh and finished second. Tells On A Roll rallied from sixth to finish third. Valar Dohaeris and Grace Hill got through some traffic to round out the top five, as Prohibition Legal came to a walk and backed up to finish outside the final.

Twin B Joe Fresh has returned in fine form to begin taking on older foes.

“She’s so relaxed you can do anything you want with her,” said Dunn. “When I saw 1:21.4 pop up I was sort of trying to make sure I didn’t get up the home straight too quick on her. She was doing it really good and I’m really pleased with her.”

TWIN B JOE FRESH REPLAY

Dunn shares ownership of Twin B Joe Fresh with Ryder, Peter Trebotica and Barry Spak. She’s now a 21-time winner and has made over $1.5 million in her outstanding career.

Twin B Joe Fresh paid $2.10 to win.

Always B Naughty (Always B Miki) made a loud statement in the second elimination, posting a 1:49.3 front-end score.

Driven by Louis-Philippe Roy, Always B Naughty surged out and would keep Silver Label to the outside through a wicked :25.3 opening-quarter. Silver Label took back into second and followed Always B Naughty through fractions of :54.3 and 1:22.2.

In the stretch, Always B Naughty closed things out with a powerful :27.1 kicker to win by a length and three-quarters. Sylvia Hanover came first-up to finish second, while Kobes Gigi, Talk Curdy To Me and Silver Label completed the top-five.

Trained by Nancy Takter, Always B Naughty was just one for five this season entering Friday, but had finished second in her last two starts.

“Nancy text me earlier today and said she’s a pretty honest mare and you can use her a couple times as long as you get her a breather at some point,” said Roy. “I knew with the short field, once we were going to get into position anyone was going to risk their spot in the elim by trying to move.”

ALWAYS B NAUGHTY REPLAY

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A four-year-old mare, Always B Naughty is now an 11-time winner with nearly $550,000 earned for owners Let It Ride Stable, Odds On Racing, R B H Ventures and Takter.

Always B Naughty paid $7.20 to win.

Elimination winners again earned a starting spot from post two through six with their victories.

Below is the draw for the $305,000 Roses Are Red final on June 15.

1 – Talk Curdy To Me (Betterthancheddar)
​2 – Silver Label (Bettors Delight)
​3 – Always B Naughty (Always B Miki)
​4 – Twin B Joe Fresh (Roll With Joe)
​5 – Tells On A Roll (Tellitlikeitis)
​6 – Sylvia Hanover (Always B Miki)
​7 – Valar Dohaeris (Huntsville)
​8 – So Much More (Big Jim)
​9 – Grace Hill (Always B Miki)
​10 – Kobes Gigi (Jk Endofanera)
​AE – Dabarndawgswatchin (Hes Watching)

Live racing continues Saturday night with the eliminations for the Pepsi North America Cup taking centre stage. The eliminations for the Armbro Flight and Fan Hanover will also be held.

Post time is 7:10 p.m.

For complete race results, click here.

by Mark McKelvie, for Woodbine Entertainment