Mohawk: Boomboom Ballykeel posts upset in Metro Final

Boomboom Ballykeel, a homebred son of Mach Three, took advantage of horses getting tangled in midstretch then blew by 3-5 favorite Western Vintage to capture the $683,000 Metro Pace for juvenile colts at Mohawk Racetrack on Saturday night.

Driven by Sylvain Filion, Boomboom Ballykeel was away well from his rail position and stalked the 3-5 favorite Western Vintage and pocket-sitter Tellitlikeitis through fractions of :26 1/5, :54 3/5 and 1:22 2/5.

Once free Boomboom Ballykeel, trained by Richard Moreau, exploded to victory in 1:50 4/5, a personal best.

Boomboom Ballykeel, sent off as a 10-1 outsider in the field of 10, scored for the third time in seven career starts for Ballykeel Racing.

Western Vintage finished second with Some Major Beach, a scratch-in to the race with the defection of Arthur Blue Chip, finishing third after hooking wheels with Lets Drink On It in midstretch, an incident that led to a long inquiry, but no disqualifications.

“My horse raced absolutely awesome,” commented driver Doug McNair, speaking of Some Major Beach. “If we didn’t get interfered with I think I win it. I was thinking I’d be second, but then Yannick’s horse fought tough and we ended up third. I thought I’d be no worse than second, but that’s racing.”

“You always worry when there’s an inquiry,” Filion said when questioned following the decision. “But I was in the right.”

Precocious Beauty and driver Doug McNair converted on a perfect cover trip to score in the $451,000 Shes A Great Lady for juvenile pacing fillies. The 6-5 favorite got to race from off the pace this week as Sudoku, Gallie Bythe Beach and Ali Blue all were active in a brisk opening half.

Gallie Bythe Beach and John Campbell had control at the half in :54 flat and maintained her advantage under pressure from Ali Blue and Yannick Gingras through the third quarter. McNair had saved ground and followed Ali Blue with Precocious Beauty on the turn and once the field passed the three quarters in 1:22 2/5 he sent the Art Major filly wide.

Gallie Bythe Beach proved extremely game but couldn’t hold Precocious Beauty off as that filly won for the third straight time equaling the stakes mark of 1:50 2/5 with the victory. Gallie Bythe Beach held for second and the late closing Beach Gal finished third.

Driver McNair commented about his strategy after the race. “I hadn’t intended to race her from behind but there was lots of speed up front and it just worked out that way,” said McNair. James Avritt owns and bred the filly.

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