Fifty Ways rallies off cover, wins Dover trot

Saturday night’s stakes-filled card at Woodbine Mohawk Park was all about setting the table for the richest night in Canadian racing next Saturday, Sept. 21. The eliminations for the Metro Pace, Canadian Trotting Classic, Shes A Great Lady Stakes and Elegantimage Stakes all took place on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Mohawk. Elegantimage Stakes Eliminations Trainer Luc Blais, driver Louis-Philippe Roy and Serge Godin’s Determination swept the pair of $35,000 Elegantimage Stakes eliminations with Drawn Impression and Emoji Hanover. Determination’s homebred Drawn Impression survived a :26.3 stretch sprint against pocket-sitter R Melina to win the first elimination in 1:52.2. Roy floated to the lead with Drawn Impression after a :28.1 first quarter and kept the tempo steady through middle splits of :57.1 and 1:25.4. As she drifted from the pylons spinning for home, R Melina (Todd McCarthy) mounted a challenge off the slow fractions. Drawn Impression refused to relinquish the lead under increasing pressure from R Melina and kept a head in front to the finish while French Champagne (Dexter Dunn), Cold Snaps (Jody Jamieson) and Sambuca Hanover (David Miller) secured the remaining berths. Roy said of the stretch drive, “She’s geared so that she doesn’t run in on the turn. So most of the horses here, when they get out of the turn, they start drifting out a little bit. We were just trotting the last three-sixteenths; they were really, really trotting. It was just a sprint.”  A daughter of Muscle Hill out of the multiple Grand Circuit stakes-winning mare Emoticon Hanover, Drawn Impression has now won seven times from 13 starts and earned $525,344. She paid $3.40 to win.

Trainer Blake MacIntosh led the way with winners in two of Friday’s three Champlain Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The MacIntosh stable swept both divisions of the Champlain for two-year-old trotting fillies, while the Luc Blais-trained colt Emoticon Legacy captured the lone Champlain event for open trotters. Emoticon Legacy turned in an eye-catching final quarter to win the $164,785 Champlain open division in 1:55.1. Driver Louis-Philippe Roy showed plenty of patience with Emoticon Legacy, as the pair got away seventh and would end up third-over in sixth heading around the final turn after the fractions went in :28, :57.3 and 1:27.1 to three-quarters. In the stretch, Emoticon Legacy swept by his rivals with a powerful :27.1 final quarter to win comfortably by 3-3/4 lengths. Tregaron (Scott Young), who was spotted just in front of the eventual winner turning for home, finished in second, while Wildturkey Hanover (Louis-Philippe Roy) finished third after tailing ‘Emoticon’ in a fourth-over position. A homebred for Determination of Montreal, Que., Emoticon Legacy is by the standout stallion Walner and out of the champion mare Emoticon Hanover. He now has three wins in four starts and has earned nearly $150,000. Emoticon Legacy is also expected to compete in next Saturday’s Mohawk Million. He paid $5.30 to win as the favourite.

Drawn Impression (Louis Roy) imposed further supremacy over her peers with another decisive victory in the C$156,000 Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old trotting fillies. Outfooted early by R Liza out of post 10, driver Louis-Philippe Roy floated Drawn Impression forward from post 9 and sat an unhurried fifth while parked on the rim through a :26.4 first quarter. R Liza (Scott Zeron) cleared the lead to the backstretch and promptly reeled in her speed for a breather, leaving Roy in the perfect spot to push and take over command just past a :56.1 half. “I wasn’t too worried, because I was kind of letting her trot,” said Roy after the race. “I’ve just been easy on her. Like you go a quarter in :28 with her, it’s like if you’re going :30 with another random horse. I mean, she just has a long stride. So the first half, even if it looks a little bit like she had much work to do, she didn’t really work herself.” Roy sat chilly as Drawn Impression cruised on the point around the final turn. She clicked past three-quarters in 1:25 and sprinted for the finish under a hand drive, registering a 3-1/2-length win as the 1-5 favourite over a fast-closing Willys Home Run (James MacDonald), who rallied from third over to take second. Second-over Cold Snaps (Jamieson) tipped off cover to finish third and Tactical Strike (Sylvain Fillion) sat a ground-saving trip for fourth. “The first few times I raced her on the front, like I remember qualifying her – and even the one time in Vernon – I feel like maybe she wasn’t used to it,” Roy also said. “When you got those horses who race on the front for the first time, they’re on and off, and they spend a lot of energy. But even last start and tonight, she’s just like a perfect individual to drive, like an old horse. So the way she is right now, against the competition, I feel like I can let her do what she wants. I wouldn’t want to say that she’s 100 percent safe tonight, and then see her make a break in the next few starts. I don’t want to jinx myself.”  A daughter of Muscle Hill out of champion mare Emoticon Hanover, Drawn Impression has now won twice from six starts this season and six times from 12 starts in her career, good for $507,844. The homebred for Serge Godin’s Determination returned $2.50 to win.

Milton, ON — Drawn Impression plowed from mid-pack and lifted away from her peers to score in the aptly named C$140,000 Casual Breeze at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday night (Aug. 23). Stablemate Emoji Hanover hustled out of post ten to grab the lead from R Liza by a :27.3 first quarter while driver Louis-Philippe Roy settled Drawn Impression out of post one into sixth. As Emoji Hanover (Dexter Dunn) slowed the tempo to a :57 half, Roy sent Drawn Impression uncovered out of sixth and then seized the lead entering the final turn. She strode by three-quarters in 1:25.2 and widened her lead down the stretch under a reclined hand drive to float over the finish winning by 4-1/4 lengths. Emoji Hanover held off R Liza (Scott Zeron) zipping up the inside to take second while R Liza’s rally helped her stave off Cool Ma Belle as she wove through traffic, but settled for fourth. “I didn’t find any good cover to follow once we all settled into the first turn, so I rushed my move,” Louis Roy said after the race. “But the filly’s just so good. Luc’s team had her really good, so I felt like she could overcome anything. It wasn’t the ideal trip, but she was so good she could deal with it anyway. When you sit behind her, she goes so fast and you don’t even realize; she has a very effortless gait. So that makes me think she might be very special, even more than she shows now.” Luc Blais trains Drawn Impression, a Muscle Hill filly out of a Casual Breeze champion in Emoticon Hanover, for owner-breeder Determination. She won her first race of the season from her fifth start and notched her fifth victory from 11 starts in her career, good for $429,844. “She’s always been impressive,” Roy also said. “She started a little later than every other filly, which was the plan with Luc because most of her stakes are later in the season and he wants to keep her sharp. In the short time she’s been racing, I felt like she didn’t have much luck. Tonight, she was able to show her talent.” Off the even-money favorite, Drawn Impression returned $4.30 to win.

Emoticon Legacy stayed unbeaten in just his second start at Woodbine Mohawk Park when collaring 1-5 favorite Nordic Catcher S in the final strides of a 1:56 mile in winning the second Wellwood elimination. Driver James MacDonald floated Emoticon Legacy forward to race third as 13-1 shot Manforce attempted to steal the race. Clocking opening fractions of :28.3 and :59.1, Manforce soon bore pressure when Nordic Catcher S flushed out of his pocket ride to sit first-up. Nordic Catcher S accelerated for the lead after three-quarters in 1:28.2 but stalled once downing Manforce in the lane. MacDonald meanwhile found room spinning off the turn to follow Nordic Catcher S’s move outside and then angled his charge off the helmet in the lane to inch closer and closer to the lead. In the final yards, Emoticon Legacy successfully reeled in Nordic Catcher S to win by a head. Manforce held third while Getastarfromthesky and Southwind Caspian earned the remaining slots to the final. “He looks like a special colt, like he’s developing into everything Emoticon [Hanover] throws into them,” MacDonald said of Emoticon Legacy, a Walner filly out of champion mare Emoticon Hanover. “She’s a super broodmare, she was a super racehorse and this horse looks like he’s turning into a nice horse as well.” Luc Blais trains Emoticon Legacy for owner-breeder Determination. The two-time winner paid $8.70 to win.

Cane Run Farm Bred Best Friends Girl (Tactical Landing - Bright Baby Blues) won the Kentucky Commonwealth Series 2YO Fillies at The Red Mile. Congratulations to owner James G Wilhite Jr and trainer Carter Pinske and driver David Miller.

The owners of Muscle Hill’s fastest son, Rebuff 2,1:52.2; 3,1:49.4 ($962,490), are excited to announce that he will stand his first season at stud in 2023 in Indiana at Victory Hill Farm. The fastest 3-year-old trotter to ever stand in Indiana, his fee has been set at $7,500. At 2, he won the Breeders Crown (elimination and final) and International Stallion Stake, taking his 2-year-old record of 1:52.2. He concluded his freshman season with earnings of $444,095. He was the fastest 3-year-old trotter in 2022 with his 1:49.4 career record taken in the Stanley Dancer Memorial at The Meadowlands that was also a stakes and track record. His other victories included the $430,000 Kentucky Futurity, Hambletonian elimination, Reynolds Memorial and a Kentucky Championship Series leg. He added $518,395 in 3-year-old earnings for a career bankroll of $962,490. In making the announcement, Mitchel Skolnick said standing Rebuff in Indiana will further strengthen the state’s already strong breeding program. “Cane Run Farm, Northwood Bloodstock and Bluestone Farms’ successful negotiations with the owners of Rebuff brings to Indiana a stallion that will position Indiana’s Standardbred breeding program to be among the finest in North America and internationally.” Rebuff’s trainer throughout his racing career, Lucas Wallin, said he fell in love with him the first time he saw him as a yearling. “From day one he was a natural, with a powerful gait, great acceleration and an ambitious attitude. From the beginning in our sets he was always a very competitive colt that simply wanted to race, and now I can’t wait for the day when I will train his colts and fillies.” Driver Tim Tetrick agrees with that assessment. “Rebuff was a super talented colt at two and three with an effortless gait and scary speed. He was super to drive with a great attitude — the complete package.”  Jeff King, owner of Victory Hill Farm with his wife Maria, awaits Rebuff’s arrival with much anticipation. “As the fastest son of the incomparable Muscle Hill and with all his great accomplishments, Rebuff will be positioned to significantly advance the Indiana breeding industry and beyond, something Victory Hill Farms remains committed to. “With the rumor mill working overtime we have already had considerable interest and I can’t tell you how much I anticipate his arrival.” Principle owner Kjell Andersen said he is looking forward to Rebuff’s career as a stallion. “Rebuff has been a joy to watch and his winning the Breeders Crown at The Meadowlands was more exciting than I ever could have imagined. Now we are just as excited as he enters the stud and what he will bring to the Indiana program. “I think the sky is the limit.” For more information or to secure a booking, contact Victory Hill Farm at 260.463.2442. Frozen semen will be available to European breeders.

ANDERSON, Ind. – Indiana Sire Stakes action continued on Wednesday (Sept. 14) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, this time with the freshman pacing fillies stepping into the spotlight. Two divisions of the fifth leg of Indiana Sire Stakes action for the pacing fillies highlighted the 14-race card, with sire JK Endofanera once again completing the stakes sweep of the division. The $68,000 first division kicked off the stakes action with Queen’s Reign backing up her leg four victory in her last outing. With driver Michael Oosting aboard, Queen’s Reign left alertly from post five, crossing over quickly to the lead to open things up with a :26.3 opening panel. Queen’s Reign would relinquish the lead up the backstretch as Sleazy Mama and Trace Tetrick popped the pocket to lead the field to the halfway station in :56.2. Sleazy Mama and Tetrick maintained command on the far turn to lead at three-quarters in 1:25 as her stablemate and heavily favored Beauty N Grace made an uncharacteristic miscue while attempting to move first over, leaving a revved-up Queen’s Reign and Oosting ready to strike from the pocket. In the stretch, Queen’s Reign popped the pocket with authority, motoring home with a :27.2 final fraction to open up and score by over two lengths at the line in a lifetime-best 1:52:4. Polks Image and Peter Wrenn rallied up the rail to finish second with Feetmadefordancin and Dale Hiteman getting up for the third position.  Trained by Ernie Gaskin, Queen’s Reign picked up her second career victory in nine outings, having now gone back-to-back for owner and breeder, Watermark Farm LLC. With the victory, the daughter of JK Endofaneraout of the Riverboat King mare, Queen’s Gold, pushes her lifetime earnings to $96,250. The $68,500 second division immediately followed in the 11th race of the evening, this time with the unbeaten Rollin Rosie maintaining her flawless record. Getting away from post seven in the field of eight, driver Jordan Ross left aggressively, striking the front end to the tune of a :26.1 opening quarter. A parked-out Plan To Tell and Jimmy Whittemore proceeded to push to the front end up the backstretch, before immediately facing pressure from JKs Lucky Lou and Tetrick through a brisk half of :54. JKs Lucky Lou cleared heading into the final turn as Jordan Ross would launch Rollin Rosie once more from third engaging the leader at three-quarters in 1:23. The two race favorites would slug it out from there down there stretch, with Rollin Rosie eventually wearing down a gutsy JKs Lucky Lou with a :28.2 final quarter to score the victory in 1:51.3 by three-quarters of a length. Always In Flight and John De Long would rally for third to round out the trifecta. Now a perfect five-for-five in her young career, Rollin Rosie has now banked $145,250 for trainer Tyler George, who co-owns the filly along with Scp Stable and Gregory Samples. Bred by Mahlon Lambright, Rollin Rosie is sired by JK Endofanera and out of the Rockroll Hanover mare, Rock N Roll Baby, making her a full-sister to 3-year-old Indiana standout JK’s Rollin Baby. Racing action continues on Thursday (Sept. 15) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with a 14-race card featuring both divisions of 3-year-old trotters in Indiana Sire Stakes action. Thursday nights at Harrah’s Hoosier Park also feature a $10,000 guarantee in the Early Pick Four in races 3-6 as well as a $10,000 guaranteed Hoosier High Five in the evening’s final race. For more information on the 2022 live racing season, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

Wilkes-Barre, PA – Three-year-old fillies were the featured performers on Monday (April 4) afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with five divisions of pacers and three of trotters, all going for $20,000, contesting their first preliminary of the Bobby Weiss Series. The fastest pacing winner was the Captaintreacherousfilly Silent Crossing, who went away strongly, yielded to Dance Ticket, then gained into back fractions of :56.3 – :28 to post the co-smallest win margin of the eight Weiss races, a half-length, but also the quickest time of 1:53.3, a new mark. Mark MacDonald drove the Woodbine/Mohawk shipper for trainer Jessica Fallon and the ownership of Hull Racing Stable and Blake MacIntosh.  Two Weiss pacing winners knocked almost four seconds off their previous best times. The Sunshine Beach sophomore Sunshine Sally got a good early position, had the room to swing wide headstretch, and overhauled Throw The Dice, also by a half-length, while dropping her mark from Q1:58 to 1:54.1. Anthony Napolitano worked out a great trip for the winner as she triumphed for trainer Cory Stratton and Bukers Stable. Reducing her mark from 1:59 to 1:55.1 was the Sweet Lou filly Sweet Kiss, one of three pacing Weiss winners who took advantage of a pocket trip, with Sweet Kiss catching Miki Rose up the inside enroute to a three-quarter length success. George Napolitano Jr. drove the winning miss for trainer/lessee Michael Hall. The other winning two-holer was the American Ideal filly Jacana, who dashed up the Pocono Pike to outduel the tough first-over Some Kinda Angel while taking a new best of 1:54.3. Matt Kakaley (a five-time winner during the card) guided the filly to the victory for trainer Jean Drolet and owner Martha Drolet. The “slowest” winner of the Weiss pacing events, and the only one on either gait who did not reduce her mark, was the Always B Miki filly Jillian B Miki, whose 1:55.3 might not have caught the eye, but whose back fractions of :56.2 – :27.3 on the front end for driver Jim Pantaleano certainly did. The Tye Loy trainee, owned by Loy and Rich Gillock and now the winner of three straight, would also prove to be the only winning favorite on the pace – and the slowest winner on the trot was also the only successful chalk on that gait. Among the trotting misses, it was a first-time starter, the Devious Man filly Devious Dushi, who proved the fastest in 1:57. Driver Braxten Boyd went to first-over position with his trotter as Sunseeker Hanover took over the lead early in the backstretch, battled that one the rest of the way, and finished out with a 1-3/4 length decision. Guy Howard trains the promising miss for Howard Stable, himself and Cathy Howard. Just for one day, the Credit Winner filly We Could Be Heros was the longest shot on the board and broke her maiden in her division. She came up the Pocono Pike to gain into a :29 kicker and catch favored Lovely Echo by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.2. Tyler Buter guided the winner, making her seasonal bow, for trainer Rob Harmon and the partnership of Harmon Racing Stable LLC and Harvey Eisman. Also a three-quarter of a length winner was the Muscle Hill distaff Those Blues, who followed the cover of main rival Phanny’s Matter, then worked by that one late to break her maiden in 1:59 while living up to her backing in her 2022 bow. Matt Kakaley was in the sulky behind the Per Engblom trainee for Bluestone Farms LLC and Fredericka Caldwell.