Woodbine Mohawk Park: Alagna, McCarthy triple in Simcoe, Champlain

Trainer Tony Alagna and driver Andrew McCarthy joined forces for a hat trick in Grand Circuit Stakes events on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The richest race of the night was the C$168,557 Simcoe Stakes for sophomore pacing fillies, and the Alagna/McCarthy duo clicked with Tall Drink Hanover in 1:49 1/5. Tall Drink Hanover moved to the outside from third past the 26 4/5 opening quarter and took the lead away from Boadicea (Jonathan Drury) passing the 54 3/5 half. Tall Drink Hanover staved off a first-over advance from Sunny Dee (Trevor Henry) around the last turn and then also kept Boadicea at bay in the lane to win by half a length. Sunny Dee wound up third.

"Jonathan's filly sounded like she had a lot of go behind me. In mid-stretch I kind of had to call on her and make sure she went right on because I knew she was coming," said McCarthy. "She had an unfortunate start with a couple bad posts and a couple bad trips, but she's really making up for lost time now. She's gotten very sharp, and I expect her to finish it off good."

Alagna Racing LLC., Marvin Katz, and Riverview Racing LLC. own Tall Drink Hanover, a daughter of Captaintreacherous. This was her 14th career victory, and she has now earned C$754,459. She was the 2-5 favorite and paid $2.90 to win.

Capt Midnight was another impressive winner for Alagna and McCarthy, winning the second of two C$89,938 Champlain Stakes divisions for rookie pacing males in 1:50 2/5. Esai Hanover (Trevor Henry), Allywag Hanover (Dexter Dunn) and Aneto (Louis-Philippe Roy) scrambled for early command, with Allwyag Hanover pushing past Esai Hanover at the 26 second opening quarter before releasing Aneto. Allywag Hanover re-moved to the front in the backstretch and cleared just before the 54 second half, with McCarthy pulling to the outside with Capt Midnight going into the last turn.

Capt Midnight still had almost three lengths to make up at the 1:22 1/5 three-quarters, but he did that stylishly in upper stretch, rolling by Allywag Hanover and then pouring it on to win by 7 3/4 lengths. Beach Blanket Book (Doug McNair) was up for second, with Esai Hanover third.

"I kind of let him step out of there a little bit, and then it was like a stampede getting into that first turn. I just lagged back a little bit and just watched it unfold. The trip worked out great for me, really," remarked McCarthy. "He pretty much did that under wraps tonight and the earplugs were still in. I asked him to pace a little bit coming out of the last turn, and then mid-stretch he just kind of ambling along and doing his thing. He's got a lot more in the tank than that."

The victorious Captaintreacherous-It Was Fascination (American Ideal) colt is owned by Marvin Katz, Ken Jacobs, Brad Grant, and Captain Kirk Racing. Capt Midnight is now a four-time winner, and he pushed his bankroll to C$192,819. Sent off as the 1-9 choice, he returned $2.20 to win.

Reflect With Me rounded out the trio of winners for Alagna and McCarthy as she was victorious in the first of a couple of C$94,299 Champlain sections for 2-year-old pacing fillies in 1:51 1/5. She surged from fourth to first before the 56 second half, got to three-quarters in 1:24 1/5, and sprinted home in 27 seconds while under wraps, winning by 2 3/4 lengths. Kat (Henry) was the runner-up, with Karma Seelster (McNair) closing for third.

"She was very good tonight. I think a couple weeks off kind of freshened her up a little bit, and she was feeling really good about herself tonight once I cleared her to the front," offered McCarthy. "Midway through the last turn the engines started revving, and she wanted me to let her pace a little bit, and I was trying to just 'steady girl.' I let her pace in the stretch, and she was good."

A daughter of Captaintreacherous-Remember When (Camluck), Reflect With Me is owned by breeder Brittany Farms LLC. and Brad Grant. She sports a record of 4-1-0 from six trips behind the gate, and she has stashed away C$139,068. Dispatched at 1-5, she paid $2.50 to win.

Winning the other C$95,298 Champlain for the girls was Rose Run Vantage (Sylvain Filion) in 1:51 3/5. With one of the favorites in Temagami Seelster (Roy) making an early break, Betalady (Jody Jamieson) led to the 27 3/5 opening quarter before Lady Lou (McCarthy) took over going to the 55 4/5 half. Rose Run Vantage watched that action from fourth and was sent first-over by Filion beyond the half.

Rose Run Vantage gained to within three-parts of a length of Lady Lou at the 1:23 4/5 three-quarters, then overhauled her in the lane. Once she took command, Rose Run Vantage couldn't be caught as she prevailed by a length and a half over a closing Peaky Sneaky (McNair). Betalady hung in for third.

"I was kind of planning on the second-over trip or something like that, covered up, but when Temagami Seelster made a break, that plan went out the window, and we had to go to plan B," said Filion. "She's a really, really nice filly. Ever since I sat behind her I always really liked her. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks too.

"I was anxious. First-over, that's not the ideal trip for a 2-year-old, but when I saw that horse in front was really tired and mine still had lots of go, then I knew I had a good shot."

Tony Beaton trains Rose Run Vantage, a Big Jim-Eagle Hilarious (Dragon Again) filly, for owners Wayne MacRae and Daniel Ross. Rose Run Vantage has four wins and two second in six tries, and she has now socked away C$108,615. She was a 9-2 shot and returned $11.20 to win.

The other C$90,938 Champlain for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings saw YS Mathis (Roy) rally for a 1:51 3/5 triumph. He sat fifth through stations of 26 2/5, 55 3/5, and 1:23 4/5, but Roy had positioned him on the far outside at three-quarters to begin his advance towards in the lead. In the stretch YS Mathis reeled in pace-setter Captain Kirk (Bob McClure), then put him away en route to a 2 1/2 length decision. Captain Kirk had to settle for second, with Day Delight (Jamieson) third.

"Week after week he keeps improving, and tonight again he showed it. He still had the plugs in," stated Roy. "I never really had to ask him, just showed him air down the lane, and he went by himself. He was again a little more impressive."

YS Mathis is a Sportswriter-Letmedowneasy (Camluck) colt trained by Richard Moreau for owner/breeder Yves Sarrazin. YS Mathis made his third stop in the winner's circle and has now pocketed C$171,730. The 6-5 favorite, YS Mathis paid $4.70 to win.