Mohawk Park: Alarm Detector returns with qualifying victory

Alarm Detector, last season’s O’Brien Award winner and William Wellwood Memorial champion, headlined a nine-race qualifying session Monday morning at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The conditions were outstanding Monday with warm temperatures, a slight breeze and ‘Fast’ track.

Turning in his first qualifier of the season, Alarm Detector scored a comfortable 1:57 4/5 victory in the third qualifier for driver Trevor Henry and trainer Ben Baillargeon.

The son of Chapter Seven left from post nine and was parked around the first turn while taking his time getting around the leader, who posted a 30 3/5 opener.

Alarm Detector cleared to the lead before three-eighths and proceeded to post fractions of 1:01 1/5 and 1:29 4/5 before kicking home in 28 with ease for an almost dozen-lengths victory.

Owned by Tom & Elizabeth Rankin, Claude Hamel and Santo Vena, Alarm Detector won six of seven starts and banked $276,870 during his rookie season. The Chapter Seven colt’s biggest victory was a Canadian record 1:52 4/5 score in the C$400,000 William Wellwood Memorial on September 18.

The Baillargeon trainee is eligible to next month’s Goodtimes Stakes (June 16) at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The eliminations, if necessary, are on June 8.

Five-year-old trotting mare Emoticon Hanover was also in action Monday.

The Luc Blais trained winner of $1.2 million was qualifying for the third time this season and she was a coast-to-coast winner in 1:56 1/5.

Emoticon Hanover and driver Bob McClure led through relatively easy fractions of 30 2/5, 59 4/5 and 1:28. The tough veteran Whiskey Tax and trainer/driver Tom Durand sat on the mare’s back throughout and applied pressure in the lane, but Emoticon Hanover held off the older rival with a 28 1/5 kicker to win by a little over a length.

Owned by Determination, Emoticon Hanover won five of 13 starts and banked $446,008 last season during her first campaign facing aged opponents.

A possible first start for Emoticon Hanover could come in next Monday’s (May 21) Miss Versatility series leg at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Below is the full list of Monday’s qualifying winners.

Woodbine Mohawk Park – Monday, May 14, 2018

Q1 (Trot): Magical Glider – D. Jones/D. Jones – 1:59 2/5
Q2 (Pace): Calvin K – J. MacDonald/T. O’Sullivan – 1:54
Q3 (Trot): Alarm Detector – T. Henry/B. Baillargeon – 1:57 4/5
Q4 (Pace): Declan Seelster – J. Jamieson/D. Menary – 1:54 3/5
Q5 (Pace): Saintsbury Lass – T. Henry/B. Budd – 1:58 4/5
Q6 (Pace): Lucky Sport – J. Jamieson/D. Menary – 1:55
Q7 (Trot): Emoticon Hanover – B. McClure/L. Blais – 1:56 1/5
Q8 (Pace): Quite A Sight – T. Henry/B. McIntosh – 1:55 1/5
Q9 (Pace): Sizzling Summer – J. Drury/S. Reinsma – 1:54 3/5

-edited release (Mark McKelvie for Woodbine Mohawk Park)