Woodbine Mohawk Park: Allywag Hanover, Bythemissal showdown could be looming in Canadian Pacing Derby

There will be two C$50,000 eliminations for the prestigious Canadian Pacing Derby on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The event showcases the best older pacers in the sport, and one elimination heat will pit a pair of Sam McKee Memorial division winners against each other for just the second time this season as Allywag Hanover (post six) meets Bythemissal (post four) in the ninth race division.

"He's probably the best horse I've had since Sweet Lou," said Ron Burke, who trains and co-owns Bythemissal, a 4-year-old by Downbytheseaside. "He got very sick on us and was out for a month. Maybe that was a blessing in disguise, but he missed some big races."

The past issues of Bythemissal have been sorted out, and after his victory in the McKee he followed that up with a dominating performance, scoring in 1:48 2/5 at Northfield Park in an invitational event.

Trainer Brett Pelling also lost some significant time with the 6-year-old Allywag Hanover earlier this season and is hopeful his horse is nearly in peak condition.

"It's tough when you have to race at this level when you miss time," said Pelling. "I think he's getting closer to where he needs to be."

Like his foe on Saturday, Allywag Hanover has captured his last two starts, as he followed up his McKee triumph with a 1:48 4/5 front-end score in the $100,000 Always B Miki Invitational on August 19 at Pocono. Following a season that started with five straight losses, Allywag Hanover looks for his third straight victory in Saturday's elimination heat.

"I think it's a good spot for him," said Pelling, who felt that Allywag's division may be slightly weaker than the first division, carded as race four.

Burke will also send out Lou's Pearlman (post eight) in this division.

"I think he can find his way into the final," said Burke, who expects the son of Sweet Lou to be a strong closing presence.

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The first Canadian Pacing Derby elimination has some serious speedsters going forward in search of the top five spots. Nine entered, with Abuckabett Hanover (post one), Linedrive Hanover (post seven) and Ruthless Hanover (post eight) representing the sport's leading nursery in a major showdown. That Tattoo Artist, with nearly $2.5 million earned, is also in the lineup suggests a most competitive field.

Burke has MGM Borgata Pacing Series champion Hellabalou taking a turn on the big track with hopes of fitting in and qualifying for the final.

"I just thought he deserved a chance racing on the big track," said Burke. "We're going to have to see if he's fast enough."

Given a steady diet of half-mile tracks this year, the 5-year-old son of Sweet Lou has finished first or second 11 times in 19 starts with earnings of $427K this year.

Abuckabett Hanover's last win came at Woodbine Mohawk Park, as did Linedrive Hanover's last score. The latter paced to a 1:47 speed badge over this surface for trainer Anthony Beaton on July 1. Following his 1:46 4/5 victory in the Brower Memorial at the Meadowlands on July 1, Ruthless Hanover has gone winless in his last three starts but will look to rebound this week. The 6-year-old by Somebeachsomewhere has won five of his 11 starts in 2023.

The two Canadian Pacing Derby eliminations, where the top five in each advance, go as races four and nine.

Burke will send out T C I in the richest race on Saturday's program, the C$620,000 William Wellwood Memorial (race 10). The Cantab Hall-sired colt has won five of six starts this year and enters the final off a career-best 1:54 1/5 mile taken in one of three eliminations last Saturday (August 19).

"It's a big race for him," said Burke of the multiple Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner. "I'd like to see him race from off-the-pace more."

Burke and driver Dave Miller appear to be on different pages when it comes to driving strategy for this colt, as Miller, in all three of his drives, has put T C I in front by the half-mile pole and gone on to easy wins. A $150,000 yearling purchase from last year's Harrisburg sale, T C I will face his toughest test in the Wellwood, starting from post six.

Trainer Tony Alagna sent out the two other Wellwood elimination winners in Mars Hill (post three) and Winter Soldier (post four) and each was impressive in his own right. Mars Hill had Andy McCarthy subbing in the bike for his third win in four career starts. Mars Hill, a $325,000 Lexington Selected yearling purchase last fall, is a son of Muscle Hill and will be driven by Todd McCarthy this week.

Winter Soldier has captured two of three starts this year, all with Andy McCarthy in the bike. The son of Face Time Bourbon finds an improved spot following some sharp closing efforts.

Trainer Ake Svanstedt has been on quite a roll lately and he sends out a pair for the Wellwood as well, with Bryant Bros S, a rare son of Varenne racing in North America, starting from the pole position and Amazing Catch (post seven), a solid runner-up behind Mars Hill in his Wellwood trial.

The stakes-filled Saturday Woodbine Mohawk Park program also includes the C$425,000 Peaceful Way final (race seven), with the exquisitely-bred Drawn Impression (Muscle Hill-Emoticon Hanover) looking to remain unbeaten for trainer Luc Blais. On the pacing side for juveniles, the Eternal Camnation for fillies and the Nassagaweya for colts and geldings get the ball rolling on the way to Woodbine Mohawk's premier juvenile events, the She's A Great Lady and Metro (September 23).

Post time is slated for 7:10 P.M. (EDT).