Green Manalishi S victorious in Canadian Trotting Classic
MILTON, September 14, 2019 – Green Manalishi S and driver Tim Tetrick went to the front and never looked back to capture the $605,000 Canadian Trotting Classic on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The Marcus Melander trainee held off a late push from Pilot Discretion to win Woodbine’s marquee event for three-year-old trotters by half a length in 1:52.4. Tetrick becomes the winningest driver in the history of the Canadian Trotting Classic with now four titles to his name.
“That’s a big honour,” said Tetrick of claiming the Canadian Trotting Classic wins record. “It just kind of fell into place and worked out really good.”
Tetrick’s previous three victories in the Canadian Trotting Classic came with Crystal Fashion (2018), Bar Hopping (2016) and Market Share (2012).
Green Manalishi S, who went off as the 6/5 favourite, shot to the top from post-four and led the field by the opening-quarter in :27.2. After an easy :29 second-quarter, Tetrick ramped up the tempo with the son of Muscle Hill to trot a :27.3 third-quarter.
Swandre The Giant raced in the two-hole, but made a break going to three-quarters. Hambletonian winner Forbidden Trade moved out from third entering the final turn and was nearly fourth-lengths behind Green Manalishi S turning for home. Goodtimes winner Pilot Discretion followed the moves of Forbidden Trade to sit third at the three-quarter pole.
In the stretch, Green Manalishi S had close to three-lengths on his rivals with an eighth of a mile to go. The push to the finish line saw the lead shrink with Pilot Discretion closing in, ultimately coming up half a length short.
“I wanted to get out of there and either sit really close or go ahead and cut it, but I didn’t want to have to work too hard to do it,” said Tetrick of his strategy. “I wanted him to feel really brave going down the backside and I went a little faster in the third-quarter to get a little separation on them and down by the wire it was getting close, but my horse held on good and he never wins by too many.”
Forbidden Trade finished third, but was placed back to fifth for causing interference in deep stretch to Only For Justice. Smart As Hill was moved up from fourth to third, while Only For Justice entered the Superfecta going from fifth to fourth.
Owned by Courant Inc, Green Manalishi S improved to four for four in starts at Mohawk Park. The Melander trainee becomes the first horse since Father Patrick in 2014 to win the Wellwood Memorial and Canadian Trotting Classic in consecutive seasons.
“This horse has kind of been in the shadow of Greenshoe and Gimpanzee,” said Tetrick of Green Manalishi S status among Melander’s stable stars. “He’s done really well and he’s made money and won an elimination of the Hambletonian. He’s a very qualified horse.”
Green Manalishi S is now five for nine this season with $688,226 earned. The Canadian Trotting Classic victory is the 10th career visit to the winner’s circle for the son of Muscle Hill and pushes his career earnings over the million-dollar plateau to $1.2 million.
A $2 win ticket on Green Manalishi S returned $4.60.
