Fillies impress in Tompkins-Geers at Woodbine Mohawk Park
July 20
Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment
East Rutherford, NJ
Purse $169,100 (4 Dvisions)
By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
Elista Hanover maintained her standing as the early favorite for the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks on Aug. 3 with another powerhouse performance Saturday night at The Meadowlands, taking the first of three $30,800 divisions of the Tompkins-Geers Stake for 3-year-old trotting fillies.
After finishing third in her seasonal debut, which was at The Big M on March 22, the daughter of International Moni-Evermore has reeled off nine straight victories. On June 29, she won a division of the Reynolds at The Big M in a lifetime-best-equaling 1:52.3. The Annie Stoebe trainee has come back huge as a sophomore after a 2023 that saw her win just once from nine tries.
On Saturday, driver Dave Miller had Elista Hanover sitting fourth to the half before marching up towards leader St Pauli Girl at the five-eighths while first-over. ‘Elista’ still had two lengths to make up while third at three-quarters, which St Pauli Girl reached in 1:26.1, then seized the top at the head of the stretch before powering clear of her foes by 5¾ lengths at the wire in 1:53.1. Miss I La finished second with Kinesiology third.
“Elista never ceases to amaze me,” said Stoebe. “She is possibly the happiest horse I have ever trained. She does have more starts coming in than I would prefer, but quoting Dave [Miller] ‘she just keeps getting stronger’. I couldn’t be more excited to go into the Oaks next week, especially with the confidence both Elista and Dave have.”
As the 1-5 favorite, Elista Hanover returned $2.40 to win while lifting her lifetime earnings to just over $190,000.
In the second T-G split for females, Honey’s Sweet rolled in 1:52.1 after making the lead before the half as the 3-5 favorite for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Tony Alagna. The daughter of Chapter Seven-Corazon Blue Chip hit the wire 2¼ lengths in front of runner up Sambuca Hanover to earn her sixth career victory from 16 tries and earnings of just over $190,000.
The third division was taken by Upallnight Hanover for Dexter Dunn and Ake Svanstedt in a lifetime-best 1:53.1. The daughter of Bar Hopping-Upfront Ob’s Janet raced in the four-hole to the half, went first-over heading to three-quarters while providing a live tow for even-money favorite Spy Coast but dug in to hold off that foe by a half-length at the finish as the 2-1 second choice, returning $6.40 to her backers. She’s now four-for-13 lifetime, good for earnings of just over $147,000.
The lone $76,700 T-G dash for 3-year-old colts and geldings on the trot went to the Andy Miller-driven, Julie Miller-trained Secret Agent Man. Two weeks after a sparkling 1:50.3 front-end score, the gelded son of Chapter Seven-Feel The Magic won from off the pace after 6-5 favorite Bella’s Musclehill went off stride while on the lead at the top of the stretch.
Secret Agent Man was 1-length better than French Kronos at the finish, which was timed in 1:52. He paid $7.20 to win as the 5-2 second choice for his third lifetime win in nine tries.
Prince Hal Hanover and Go Ahead Makemyday score in Tompkins-Geers
June 28
Woodbine Mohawk Park
Milton, ON
Purse $98,685 (2 Dvisions)
Go Ahead Makemyday
Prince Hal Hanover
The Tompkins-Geers Stakes for two-year-old colts and geldings was the main event of Friday evening’s card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Administrated by the Hambletonian Society, the Tompkins-Geers attracted a single division for both the pacing and trotting events.
Prince Hal Hanover rocketed home and edged a flying rival to win the $50,760 Tompkins-Geers for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 1:52.3.
Driven by Bob McClure, Prince Hal Hanover got away fourth and watched his Dr. Ian Moore stblemate Glowing Lou cut out fractions of :27.3 and :57 before moving first-up on the far turn to get to within a couple lengths at three-quarters (1:26.). Lite Up The World, who followed Prince Hal Hanover throughout, was situated second-over at three-quarters.
In the stretch, Prince Hal Hanover powerfully stormed to the lead and would kick home in :26.1, holding off a strong Lite Up The World by a head in 1:52.3.
Bitcoin Hanover was a good third, while TH Kay C Crunch got fourth.
A son of Captaintreacherous, out of the Dr. Moore developed Percy Blue Chip, Prince Hal Hanover was making his career debut Friday off a 1:55.3 qualifying score.
“He’s real got to be an impressive colt in recent times,” said Dr. Moore. “I just love racing the babies for the first time, it’s so exciting and it never gets old.
“(Prince Hal Hanover) was mediocre until maybe about two months ago. He started growing, he was a slim build and not real big, just an average size colt, but I liked him…he grew and filled out an awful lot. He got tall recently. We’ve let his hopples out five inches in the last two months, that shows how much he’s grown.”
A $130,000 yearling purchase, Prince Hal Hanover is owned by Prince Hal Hanover Stable of Cambridge, Ontario.
A $2 win ticket on Prince Hal Hanover returned $3.50.
Go Ahead Makemyday showed no prisoners to win the $47,925 Tompkins-Geers for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Driven by Sylvain Filion, Go Ahead Makemyday left out strong to get early control and would carry favourite Manforce on the outside until early in the backstretch. Filion immediately removed to the lead after letting Manforce clear.
Go Ahead Makemyday set the fractions of :28.2, :59.2 and 1:29.3 before powering home in :27.3 and turning away Manforce by two and a quarter lengths for the 1:57.1 score.
Galen Erso was third, while Uncensored finished fourth.
Trained by Blake MacIntosh, Go Ahead Makemyday was making his career debut after two good qualifiers, including a 2:00.2 win on June 14. Despite the nice morning efforts, the son of Walner went off at odds of 7-1.
“He’s done everything right in the qualifiers and training down,” said MacIntosh. “We trained him in (1):57, so I knew he had a lot of speed and I thought he was a good price at that.”
A $17,000 yearling purchase, Go Ahead Makemyday is owned by MacIntosh, Van Camp Trotting Corp., Mortgage Boys Stable and Ozzie MacKay.
Go Ahead Makemyday paid $16.10 to win.
Fillies impress in Tompkins-Geers at Woodbine Mohawk Park
June 27
Woodbine Mohawk Park
Milton, ON
Purse $99,968 (2 Dvisions)
Wicked N Single | 2FP
Incantation | 2FT
Wicked N Single and Incantation became the first two-year-old Grand Circuit winners of 2024 in Thursday’s Tompkins-Geers Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Administrated by the Hambletonian Society, the long-standing Tompkins-Geers for two-year-olds was moved to Woodbine Mohawk Park for the first time this year.
Wicked N Single rallied by rivals with a :27 final-quarter to win the $46,845 Tompkins-Geers for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Driven by James MacDonald, Wicked N Single took back to last in the field of six to watch how things played out. Saddlebags got to the lead ahead of Charlotte Station at a :27.3 opening-quarter. Heavy-favourite Famous Fast Words brushed to the lead from third to hit the half in :56.3 before catching a :30.2 breather.
Wicked N Single started advancing around the far turn and sat in behind Saddlebags at the head of the lane. The Tony Beaton trained Wicked N Single swung out wide and surged by all to win in 1:54.3.
Charlotte Station pushed up the rail to finish second by a length and a half. Famous Fast Words was third, while Saddlebags was fourth.
“I was waiting to sit behind her, she was exciting to qualify,” said MacDonald post-race. “She’s a big strong filly, perfect gait, perfect mouth just like 99 per cent of Tony (Beaton’s). I just kind of settled in and let her do her thing. I knew she was going to give me a big kick finishing.”
A daughter of Mcwicked, Wicked N Single was making her career debut on Thursday after a pair of winning qualifiers. She quickly racks up $23,422 for owners Lisa LeFort and David Mercer.
Wicked N Single paid $9.50 to win.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob McIntosh sent out Incantation to a 1:57.3 win in the $53,123 Tompkins-Geers for two-year-old trotting fillies.
Race-favourite Monalishi made a break at the start to change outlook of the contest. The favourite’s stablemate Medley Seelster trotted out to command and led through fractions of :28.4, 1:00.1 and 1:29.4.
Sitting fifth through the opening-half, Incantation got under way for driver Sylvain Filion on the far turn. The duo would force Exquisite Taste to pop the two-hole ahead of the three-quarter pole.
In the stretch, Exquisite Taste would grab the lead briefly before making a mid-stretch break for the second consecutive start. This allowed Incantation to power by and win by 2 ½ lengths over Medley Seelster.
Bright Green finished third, while Sister Sara was fourth.
“It was a great effort, Sylvain (Flion) did give her a great drive,” said McIntosh. “I’ve liked this filly all along…she’s been a beautiful gaited thing since day one. We made a couple of adjustments and it seemed to pay off.
A homebred daughter of Muscle Mass, Incantation now has a win, a mark of 1:57.3 and $26,561 earned for Robert McIntosh Stables and Tyrone Valley Farm.
McIntosh noted his delight with the move of the Tompkins-Geers to Woodbine Mohawk Park.
“It’s a great thing for us here in Ontario and Canada…this is perfect.”
Surprising the betting public, Incantation paid $37.30 to win.
The Tompkins-Geers Stakes continue Friday night with rookie colts and geldings taking the spotlight. Post time for the 10-race card is 7:10 p.m.