Send It In Hanover (Greenshoe) captured the $75,000 Millard Farms final for two-year-old trotting males at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Thursday (Aug. 10) to complete a sweep of the harness racing series and remain perfect.
Sylvain Filion started the gelding up from fifth on the backstretch, and Send It In Hanover pulled up to the leaderās wheel as they hit three-quarters. The leading pair sparred into mid-stretch, when Send It In Hanover won the battle and sealed victory in the war as he held off Top Mast (James MacDonald) to score in 1:55.2. Finite (Chris Christoforou) picked up the show cheque.
SEND IT IN HANOVER REPLAY
Send It In Hanover has now earned $65,500 in his perfect career start. The Benoit Baillargeon-trained gelding is four-for-four with three wins in the Millard Farms. Baillargeon co-owns him with Frank Cirillo of Kleinburg, Santo Vena of Cedar Valley, and Nunzio Vena of Bolton.
The card also saw the finale of the sister event ā the Pure Ivory final for two-year-old trotting fillies ā the day after the raceās namesake was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
Stubborn Chee (Muscle Hill, MacDonald) won the $79,500 contest, taking over in the second quarter and trotting to a 1:55.3 victory. She was a length-and-a-quarter the best over Woman Of Passion (Todd Ratchford) and Draw The Line (Tyler Jones).
STUBBORN CHEE
It was Stubborn Cheeās first career win ā and the first mile in which she was on gait throughout. She broke in her first two outings but finished fifth in the second leg of the series. Matthew Bax trains the filly, a homebred for Al Libfeld of Pickering.
Four divisions of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots third leg for rookie trotting males also featured on the night. Ways N Mean (Muscle Mass, Doug McNair) captured the first comfortably in 1:58.2. Salem Seelster (Muscle Mass, Louis-Philippe Roy) snagged the second in 1:57.3, hanging on by three-quarters-of-a-length. Lookproud (Lookslikeachpndale, Roy) uncorked a :29 last quarter off second-over cover and won the third split by open lengths in 1:57.4. Royal Duharas (Royalty For Life, Loic Gueriel) mowed down the leader from the pocket and finished strongly to prevail in the final group in 1:58.4.
Frank Salive, inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame last night – called the card.
Woodbine Mohawk Park will race next on Friday, Aug. 11 with a 7:00 p.m. first post.
For complete race results, click here.
by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink