Two-year-olds descend on Mohawk Park for stakes prelims

Woodbine Mohawk Park hosted six total stakes divisions for harness racing two-year-olds on Thursday (Jul. 28) – two of the Millard Farms second leg and Dream Maker first round, along with one Pure Ivory second leg dash.

Warrawee Yang (Trixton) kicked off the card with a maiden-breaking victory in the Millard Farms first division. Bob McClure steered the colt to a 1:57.4 win over Southwind Coors (Walner, Mike Saftic). Ghostly Casper (Resolve, Sylvain Filion) finished third.

WARRAWEE YANG REPLAY

Rockwood resident Mark Etsell trains Warrawee Yang and co-owns him with Robert Newton of Walkerton, Peter Porter of Port Dover, and Denise Turner of Georgetown. The colt is one-for-two after a third-place finish on debut.

Lukes Bar (Bar Hopping, Todd McCarthy) dominated the second division, striding clear by seven lengths by the finish to score in 1:55.4. I Got The Tab (Cantab Hall, FIlion) held off first leg winner Jokic (Cantab Hall, Tyler Jones) for second.

LUKES BAR REPLAY

It was a first career win for Lukes Bar, whose other start was a place finish on Jul. 14. Menary Racing of Rockton combined with Anthony Timmins of Birmingham (England) to buy him for $55,000 at Harrisburg. Dave Menary trains the gelding.

The Millard Farms series is for trotting colts and geldings. The $50,000A final is set for Thursday, Aug. 4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Silly Me Hanover (Walner) stayed perfect in the Pure Ivory with a second leg victory more convincing than her first.

The Determination-owned filly won with a three-and-a-quarter-length margin in 1:56.4 under the guidance of McClure. Shesundertheradar (Tactical Landing, Jody Jamieson) and Shiny New Penny (Alarm Detector, Filion) hit the line together, with the place spot going to the former.

SILLY ME HANOVER REPLAY

Silly Me Hanover, trained by Luc Blais, debuted in the Pure Ivory on Jul. 21 and is two-for-two. She was a $250,000 Harrisburg purchase.

The $50,000A final of the Pure Ivory, for trotting fillies, is set for Thursday, Aug. 4 at the same oval.

Stay Hungry colts Stormalong and Hungry Angel Boy, stablemates in the Tony Alagna barn, set identical times and winning margins in the first and second divisions, respectively, of the Dream Maker.

Stormalong and Doug McNair vaulted off a pocket trip to victory in the opening split with a clocking of 1:52.4. Nazare (Sweet Lou, Jamieson) was second, well clear of show finisher Redwood Hanover (Stay Hungry, Chris Christoforou).

STORMALONG REPLAY

Brad Grant of Milton and Steve Heimbecker of Waterloo share ownership of Stormalong, their $35,000 Harrisburg purchase. The colt is now one-for-two after finishing fourth on debut in the Kindergarten.

Hungry Angel Boy led a Stay Hungry-sired triactor in the second group. He came home in :26.4 for McCarthy to hold off faster-closing stablemate Hungry Man (McClure), who edged Brue Hanover (McNair) at the line to complete an Alagna one-two.

HUNGRY ANGEL BOY REPLAY

Hungry Angel Boy won his first start, scoring in 1:50.2 in the Kindergarten, and is now unbeaten through two. Alagna Racing of Jackson, Pryde Stables of North York, and Pit Bull Stable of Riverdale own the $30,000 Harrisburg buy.

The Dream Maker for freshman pacers continues with a second leg and $50,000A final.

Shawn Steacy harnessed three winners on the day.

Woodbine Mohawk Park continues action with a 10-race program beginning at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, Jul. 29.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink