Muscle Hill 2YO wins Mohawk Million, Big upset in Trotting Classic

The $1,000,000 third annual Mohawk Million for two-year-old trotting colts saw the race favorite, Oh Well (Muscle Hill) and harness racing driver Tim Tetrick blow away the field in the stretch to win the classic stakes event.

The 10^th race saw DWS Point Man (Louis-Philippe Roy) leave from post eight to take command of the early lead with Hasty Bid (James Macdonald) sitting on their backs to the first quarter in :27.3.

Then it was Oh Look Magic (Matthew Bax) coming first-over by the half mile in :56.1 but Roy was not allowing them to clear until close to the final turn. That put second-over race favorite Oh Well first-over as they neared the three quarters and Winners Bet (Dexter Dunn) coming strong with a three-wide move.

Passing the three quarters in 1:24.4, Winners Bet went off-stride as Oh Well and Tetrick pulled away from the field to win with ease by three and one-half lengths in 1:53.4, tying the stakes record. Silly Me Hanover (Bob McClure) was second with Proud To Be Lindy (Chris Christoforou) third.

OH WELL REPLAY

A $530,000 yearling purchase, it was the third win in just six starts for Oh Well. He is trained by Marcus Melander for the S R F Stable of Lighthouse Point, FL and paid $3.40 to win.

Stockade Seelster takes $900,000 Metro Pace

Stockade Seelster (State Treasurer) and driver Jody Jamieson were able to wear down 3/5 race favorite Save America (Yannick Gingras) in winning the $900,000 final of the Metro Pace for two-year-old colts.

The 8^th race feature started off with Tickertape Hanover (Dexter Dunn) flying to the lead from post eight with Ace Of Aces (James MacDonald) in the two-hole and Save America sitting third at the opening quarter in :27.4.

Yannick pulled on the right line right away to go after the lead and following their cover was Stockade Seelster and Jamieson, who looked to be trapped first-over at the half mile in :55.1.

Then in a strange and bold move, Save America bore out just enough for Jamieson to get by Tickertape Hanover with Stockage Seelster and squeeze into the two-hole spot before the final turn for home.

They passed the three quarters in 1:23 and coming down the stretch Jamieson pulled out and came after Save America with Stockade Seelster, who was able to wear the favorite down and beat him by three-quarters of a length in 1:50.1. Ace Of Aces was third.

STOCKADE SEELSTER REPLAY

“Head of the lane I thought we had him,” said Jody Jamieson. “But he came back some and then so did my horse.”

It was the seventh win in just eight starts for Stockade Seelster. He is trained by Dr Ian Moore for owners Sally MacDonald and Paul MacDonald and paid $10.30 to win.

Slay upsets in $615,000 Canadian Trotting Classic

Slay (Chapter Seven) with driver Joe Bongiorno actually made a break in the stretch and was able to regroup quick enough to catch Pretender and win the $615,000 final of the Canadian Trotting Classic for three-year-old trotting colts.

It was Pretender and driver Andy McCarthy leaving quicky from the starting gate to start the 9^th race feature with Slay getting the two-hole trip as they went by the first quarter in :27.1. Both Twin B Archie and Duly Resolved made breaks at the start.

To the half mile Pretender continued to the lead the field at the half in :56 as King Of The North (Mark MacDonald) came first-over followed by race favorite Branded By Lindy (Yannick Gingras) who then went off-stride.

They passed the three quarters in 1:23.3 and it was then that Slay broke stride and then came back so quickly he was able to catch Pretender and win by one and one-quarter lengths in 1:52.1. Fast As The Wind (Dexter Dunn) was third. There was a judges inquiry into Slay going off-stride but the judges let the race finish stand.

SLAY REPLAY

“We got a little bit jammed up in there and he caught a boot.” Said Bongiorno. “But as a great horse like he is he came back. This was the great win for his connections.”

For Slay it was his fifth win of the season, his fourth win in his last six starts for trainer Tony Alagna and owners Crawford Farms Racing and James Crawford. The winner paid $18.60.

Last year Alagna and the Crawford’s also won the Canadian Trotting Classic with Slay’s full brother, Ahundreddollarbill.

Raised By Lindy too tough in $350,000 Elegantimage

After early lead changes by Baby Longstocking (Doug McNair) and Adare Castle (James MacDonald), Raised By Lindy (Walner) and driver Yannick Gingras grabbed the lead for good in the $350,000 Elegantimage Final for two-year-old trotting fillies.

Once on top in the 7^th race, Raised By Lindy led the field to the half mile in :56.2. Mon Cheval (Todd McCarthy) came first-over but could not gain any ground as they passed the three-quarters in 1:24.3.

Raised By Lindy and Gingras were in command coming down the stretch and they went on to win by one and one-half lengths in 1:52.1 with Adare Castle second and Mon Cheval third. Warrawee Xenia (Bob McClure) was never in the hunt and made a break coming down the stretch.

RAISED BY LINDY REPLAY

A homebred filly owned by Lindy Farms of Conn., Raised by Lindy is trained by Domenico Cecere and notched her fourth win in eight starts this year. She paid $4.00 to win.

$525,000 Shes A Great Lady to Sylvia Hanover

Tony Infilise’s Hudson Standardbred Stable’s Sylvia Hanover (Always B Miki) went off as the 1-2 race favorite in the 6^th race $525,000 final of the Shes A Great Lady and she did not disappoint any of her supporters.

It was give and take early on in the two-year-old filly pace final between Charleston (Dexter Dunn) and Sylvia Hanover (Bob McClure) with Charleston taking the lead at the first quarter in :27.2 as it began raining hard.

McClure did not want the two-hole trip and came right back with Sylvia Hanover and took command before the half mile in an easy :56.3.

Proud Mary (Tim Tetrick) then came first-over with Treacherous Penny (Joe Bongiorno) second-over as the field reached the three-quarters in 1:25.2.

But Sylvia Hanover was just too tough on the front end, holding off Charleston to win by one length in 1:51.4. Treacherous Penny was third.

SYLVIA HANOVER REPLAY

Trained by Shawn Steacy, it was the fifth straight win and sixth triumph in just seven career starts for Sylvia Hanover. She paid $3.00 to win as the wagering favorite.

Nazare upsets in Metro consolation

Nazare (Sweet Lou) and driver Tim Tetrick picked a perfect spot to break his maiden ranks with a stunning 25-1 upset in the 1^st race $60,000 Metro Consolation race.

Getting away in fifth place after the start, Tetrick waited until the final turn to try and come first-over with Nazare, getting pushed three-wide before the stretch drive. Apparently the three-wide move got the colt motivated as he closed well in the stretch to win by one and one-half lengths in 1:51.3. Hungry Man (Todd McCarthy) was second with Brue Hanover (Sylvain Filion) third.

It was the first victory in nine lifetime starts for Nazare. He is trained by Dave Menary and is owned by Menary Racing, Inc and Anthony Timmins. He paid $53.80 to win.

NAZARE REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink