Woodbine Mohawk Park: Alagna trainees star in Nassagaweya, Eternal Camnation

Trainer Tony Alagna swept the first three spots in the C$228,100 Nassagaweya Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday night, with Capt Midnight winning the event for driver Andy McCarthy in 1:51, followed by his stablemates Captain Nemo and Captain Kirk. It was also a sweep for second-year sire Captaintreacherous, who sent out the top-three finishers in the first major 2-year-old Grand Circuit event.

Captain Kirk left quickly for the front and forced longshot Examiner Hanover to take a hole in the early stages. Captain Nemo then made a quarter move past the 28 second quarter to gain control briefly before Capt Midnight and McCarthy hustled quickly to take over well before the 55 2/5 half. From that point McCarthy rated the pace kindly, with only Allywag Hanover making a mild challenge through a 1:24 three-quarter clocking. In the stretch the Alagna trainees had clearance, with Capt Midnight digging in gamely to hold off Captain Memo safely with a 27 second final quarter. Captain Kirk held third easily.

"It's the first time I put him on the front, and I had to tell him what to do when we got to the stretch," said McCarthy. "He's a very smart colt, and he knew what to do. I had a hard time pulling him up after the race."

Sent off as the 6-5 favorite, Capt Midnight returned $4.50 while winning for the third straight time over the track. Marvin Katz, Bradley Grant, Ken Jacobs, and Captain Kirk Racing own the Captaintreacherous sired colt.

In the Eternal Camnation, Alicorn rebounded from a break in the Battle of The Belles to dominate pacing fillies in the C$112,239 first stanza. With Louis-Philippe Roy in the bike, Alicorn was looped leaving, then hustled to the front in 27 seconds flat. Roy had the half in only 56 4/5 and then drew a hard challenge from Lady Lou, with Sylvain Filion, through the third quarter. The pace picked up, but Alicorn maintained pylon position through the 1:24 3/5 three-quarters. In the stretch the Bettor's Delight-sired Alicorn kicked in to high gear, with a brilliant 26 2/5 final quarter to win in 1:51, equaling her career best taken in an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold event. Lady Lou held second, with Off The Press third.

"I was concerned she hadn't raced for three weeks," said Roy, but Chantal (Mitchell, trainer) had her ready."

Windemere Stable LLC. and Robert Muscara share ownership of Alicorn, now a winner three times in six career starts. Alicorn paid $3.30 as the public choice.

Reflect With Me had to rough it without cover, but the Captaintreacherous-sired filly got home in the second C$112,239 Eternal Camnation division, giving McCarthy a stakes double, along with trainer Alagna.

There was plenty of action up front, with Kat sprinting to the quarter in 27 seconds before yielding to Somebeachsometime before the 55 3/5 opening half clocking. McCarthy had to come first-over and Reflect With Me ranged up through the 1:24 1/5 three-quarters before she shifted into high gear in the stretch. Karma Seelster angled out and had dead aim on the winner from midstretch to the wire but couldn't pass the dead-game winner. Kat finished third in the 1:52 mile.

"I felt her respond when she heard that horse (Karma Seelster),"McCarthy said.

It was the third straight win for Reflect With Me, owned by Brittany Farms and Brad Grant. Reflect With Me returned $2.10 as the prohibitive public choice.