Big Performances Highlight North America Cup Undercard
Bettor’s Up persevered in a dramatic photo finish with Agent Q ahead of the favored eliminations winners to win the C$440,000 Fan Hanover Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies in upset fashion for her local connections on Saturday (June 17).
Bettors Up upset in the Fan Hanover at odds of 11-1. Mark Hall photo.
Doug McNair made the winning move with the Bettor’s Delight-Fresh Idea filly mid-race, sweeping from third to first and then held off Agent Q by the slimmest of margins in a career-best 1:49.4 score. Scott McEneny trains Bettors Up for his wife Michelle and co-owners Bradley Grant and Teresa Davidson, both of Milton, Ont.
Agent Q (David Miller) got the first call firing off the gate from post seven, but she stalled briefly and post two starter Al Mar Got A Fever (Trevor Henry) shot through inside to grab the lead with insider Bettor’s Up hot on her heels. Agent Q remained parked out, but drove on past the :26.4 quarter mark to take over command.
Down the backstretch, McNair made his move with Bettors Up and hit the half in :55.1. They began to open up on top by a pair of lengths on the way to three-quarters in 1:22.1 while Al Mar Got A Fever tipped out with favorites Idyllic Beach (Yannick Gingras) and Tequila Monday (Brian Sears) following in the outer flow around the final turn.
Bettor’s Up continued to show the way into the stretch, but Agent Q emerged from the pocket to make it a thrilling finish. Tequila Monday rallied home for third ahead Idyllic Beach, who was rough-gaited in the stretch
International Moni brought a Goodtimes victory to the legacy of his dam, the great Moni Maker.
Lindy Farms’ International Moni captured the winner’s share of the $251,000 Goodtimes Stakes purse on Saturday evening at Mohawk Racetrack.
Driver Scott Zeron was able to engineer a second-over trip for the Frank Antonacci trainee to come through and win in 1:52.4.
Enterprise, the 3/5 favourite, made a second-quarter move to the lead and posted middle-fractions of :56.1 and 1:24.3 to lead into the lane. International Moni, who was racing sixth in the early stages, caught the cover of stablemate Shake It Off Lindy heading around the far turn.
International Moni surged to the lead in the lane and was able to hold off a late-rally from Mass Production, driven by Scott’s father, Rick, to win by _ lengths.
“I didn’t mind where I got away, my horse is really handy,” said Scott Zeron about getting away sixth. “I was very happy with where I was sitting…and when I angled him over I felt like I was an easy winner and I didn’t even pull the plugs, but good thing I can hear my Dad screaming behind me, so I pulled them and he went on again.”
Seven And Seven came on to finish third, while Enterprise dropped back to finish fourth.
A son of French Stallion Love You and former Horse of the Year Moni Maker, International Moni is now two for two this season to bring his career numbers to three wins and over $330,000 earned for owners Moni Maker Stable.
International Moni paid $7.60 to win.
Lady Shadow won the Roses Are Red for the third time in an impressive 1:48.4.
Lady Shadow overcame a first-up trip to win the $365,000 Roses Are Red Final for the third year in a row Saturday at Mohawk Racetrack in 1:48.4.
Lady Shadow floated off the gate towards the center of the field while Call Me Queen Be was sent for the front in :25.3. Soon overtaken by Nike Franco N midway down the backstretch, Lady Shadow soon edged off the rail and began a first-over advance towards the leader while Wrangler Magic struggled to find room, causing traffic issues through a :54 half.
Pacing three-quarters 1:21.3, Lady Shadow edged past Nike Franco N in the stretch to take the lead and began to drift while she tried to sprint away from Wrangler Magic. Call Me Queen Be angled out of the pocket and chased behind while Lady Shadow held off Wrangler Magic to win, with Call Me Queen Be getting third and Nike Franco N holding onto fourth.
A six-year-old Shadow Play mare from the Camluck mare Lady Camella, Lady Shadow won her 32nd race in 59 tries, compiling $2,108,662 in earnings. Competing for the interests of David Kryway, Carl Atley, Ed Gold, and Bfj Stable, trained by Ron Adams, and driven by Yannick Gingras, Lady Shadow paid $3.60 to win.
“I had to move her over a little bit [while Wrangler Magic struggled for room] and I just hoped to get back to the two-path,” Yannick Gingras said. “It was clear sailing after that.
“I thought I had everyone pretty much where I wanted them [in the final turn]. I assumed, the way I saw [the issues in] the backstretch that Louis Phillippe[-Roy on Wrangler Magic] would be disqualified. I knew I had the field stacked up behind me, and I knew I could’ve gone by Timmy [Tetrick on Nike Franco N] earlier and let her do her thing in the stretch.
“She’s so tough. She has big lungs and is real tough. No doubt I would’ve rather been on the lead tonight, but there was plenty of action and a lot of horses would’ve tried to take their shot at her; she was the horse to beat. I think tonight she proved that she’s the best.”
Lady Shadow paid $3.60 to win.
from Standardbred Canada
