Elims set for Woodbine stakes extravaganza
At 0h49, on September 12, 2024 • By Mark McKelvie, Woodbine Communications
The C$1 million Metro Pace for rookie pacing colts and geldings will have two eliminations Saturday (Sept. 14) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The Metro Pace eliminations are two of nine stakes races on Saturday’s outstanding 13-race card.
The C$205,000 Milton Stakes, for pacing mares, is the feature race, while eliminations will be held for the Canadian Trotting Classic, Elegantimage and She’s A Great Lady.
The finals for all of this Saturday’s eliminations will be held on Sept. 21, as part of Mohawk Million night.
This year’s Metro Pace final will be the first since 2012 to have a purse of $1 million and has attracted 17 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings for the eliminations.
New Jersey Classic winner Captain Optimistic (post two, Yannick Gingras) is the co-headliner in the first C$40,000 elimination. The Nancy Takter-trained son of Captaintreacherous has won four of five starts, including last week’s New Jersey Classic at the Meadowlands in 1:50.1.
A group of 16 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings have been split into two C$40,000 eliminations for the Canadian Trotting Classic.
Highland Kismet (post eight, Bob McClure) is the top contender entering the Trotting Classic splits. The Mark Etsell trainee has won six of 10 starts this season, including the Goodtimes Stakes and Simcoe Stakes. The son of Father Patrick finished second in the Hambletonian final and has made over C$500,000 this season.
The She’s A Great Lady, for 2-year-old pacing fillies, received 15 entrants for the eliminations.
The first C$35,000 split includes three six-figure earners, led by New York Sire Stakes standout Cowgirl Hanover (post one, Doug McNair). The Jared Bako trained daughter of Huntsville has won six of eight starts, finishing second in her only losses, to earn over C$470,000.
Nancy Takter trainee My Sweet Lily (post five, Yannick Gingras) arrives at Mohawk off a career-best 1:51.2 victory in last Friday’s (Sept. 6) New Jersey Classic. The daughter of Sweet Lou has won two of three starts to begin her career.
The Elegantimage, for 3-year-old trotting fillies, will have two six-horse C$35,000 eliminations contested on Saturday.
Local standout Drawn Impression (post six, Louis-Philippe Roy) will look to keep up her winning ways in the first elimination. The Luc Blais trainee is entering Saturday’s race off convincing victories in the Simcoe Stakes and Casual Breeze Stakes.
Post time for Saturday’s stakes-filled card at Woodbine Mohawk Park is 7:10 p.m.
