Woodbine Mohawk Park: Apex emerges as the master of the Mohawk Million

Apex asserted his spot at the top of the group of 2-year-old trotters in the sport this year by capturing the Grade 1 $1 million Mohawk Million on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. His final time of 1:51 4/5 was a Canadian, track and stakes record.

Driven by Dexter Dunn, Apex got away in the fourth position from post one while Strobe Lite (James MacDonald) hustled to the top from the eight-hole. However, Strobe Lite made a break nearing the 27 4/5 quarter, which put Silverstein (David Miller) on the front-end. Silverstein would then yield to sit in the pocket behind an advancing 1-5 favorite Endurance (Andy McCarthy) in the backstretch.

Endurance put the half on the board in just 57 seconds as Apex began an uncovered march. That gave cover to William Wellwood Memorial champion Ardonne (Scott Zeron), Diabolic Hill (Todd McCarthy), AI (Yannick Gingras) and Cambridge Hanover (Jason Bartlett) on the final bend. Apex advanced towards Endurance, but Endurance was able to fend him off to three-quarters in 1:24 4/5.

Endurance was game on the front-end in the stretch as well and dug in, but Apex continued to pressure him on the outside and went by inside the final eighth. From there, Apex stayed in front to the finish line, pulling clear to defeat Endurance by a length and a half. Silverstein wound up third, Diabolic Hill was fourth at 105-1 and Ardonne finished in the fifth position.

The time of 1:51 4/5 lowered the mark Maryland set in last year's Mohawk Million. Like Apex, he was driven by Dunn for trainer Marcus Melander.

"It's never easy from the inside and there was a bit of action going into that first turn. Like he has been all prep, he just handled it like a true professional and got away not too far back," Dunn said post-race. "He got a little excited there earlier on, but now he's beautiful and relaxed. He seems so intelligent, too. He knows his job and he's only 2. I moved him past the half there and he was traveling so strongly around the last turn, I just wanted to make sure he got around it in one piece. Once I asked him, he really put his muscle into it up the straight.

"Andy's colt's a great colt, but this guy, he's a true racehorse. He really knows his job and he loves that winning post."

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Melander trains Apex, a Walner colt out of world champion Mission Brief, for owners Jeff Snyder, S R F Stable and Steve Stewart. Apex has a summary of 6-1-1 from eight outings, has earned C$1,131,399 and paid $7.40 to win as the 5-2 second choice.

"I think Dexter has been doing a great job with him even since the baby races. He's just been babying him," offered Melander. "All credit to Dexter doing that because he could be a little bit aggressive early training down.

"He needs a little bit of time now. Hopefully we can ask The Red Mile if they can go with some qualifiers maybe after the Grand Circuit and maybe qualify him one time before the final here in the Breeders Crown. That's the plan right now at least.

For Steve Stewart, this was the fifth out of six Mohawk Million winners he's been involved with. He bred the first two champions in Venerate and Venerable, owned the slot that was used by Oh Well in 2022 and then was part-owner of Maryland.

"It's extra-special. I just want to say Cindy and I wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for Jeff Snyder and Lennart Agren (of S R F Stable), the two partners, buying the horse at Harrisburg last year," stated Stewart, who is one of the members of Mission Brief Stable, which bred Apex. "Nobody really knows who is the Mission Brief Stable, but it's Black Creek Farm, Hickory Hollow, there's a whole bunch of us. It means more to us to be standing here representing all these great guys and partners in the mare and in Apex.

"We pretty much always felt he was extra-special. Jeff came to us prior to the sale at Harrisburg and asked us what we thought of him. Most breeders are going to say 'oh yeah, he's great,' but Jeff and I are pretty good friends. I just told him Cindy and I own 10 percent of Mission Brief and if you end up buying him we'd love to stay in. Lennart and Jeff were able to let us in for our 10 percent. He's very intelligent and you can almost see it in his eye and whatnot and listening to the groom and them how professional he is."

Stewart also bred Endurance with Martti Ala-Seppala, giving him a sweep of the top two positions.

"That's what great about harness racing. Those two sold the same day at Harrisburg on the first day. Endurance went first and he brought $14,000," Stewart said. "I'm so happy for Chris Beaver and his group to buy him, and obviously they've done great with him. Then this guy comes along and sold for $525,000, so there's room for everybody to play and have a chance."