Woodbine Mohawk Park: Bax charges eye Thursday stakes finals
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The spotlight will be focused on 2-year-olds this Thursday at Woodbine Mohawk Park as a pair of stakes finals will be contested, and the man who is center stage – Matt Bax – trains the morning-line favorite in both the C$80,000 Pure Ivory and C$79,500 Millard Farms trots.
Bax will first send out 9-5 favorite Southwind Milk from post five in the Pure Ivory (race five) for fillies, a stepping-stone race for the C$425,000 Peaceful Way on August 24th at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The daughter of Walner and Mimispearloflindy – bred by Southwind Farms – owns an unblemished record in three starts including two preliminary-leg victories.
“She is an incredibly fast filly who has done everything right,” said Bax. “We still don’t know what she is.”
Most recently, Southwind Milk won by three lengths in 1:55 as the 1-9 favorite and she seems likely to offer a similar odds to bettors at post time despite the presence of a stronger all-around field in the final.
“She had a great trip off a helmet last time, [James MacDonald] didn’t use her hard and she won it pretty easily,” said Bax, who also has Telos from post four in the field with Todd Ratchford in the bike.
“She’s a very talented filly with a beautiful gait but the trip down to Pennsylvania hurt her a little,” continued the trainer about Telos. “She’s still recovering from that but hopefully we have her figured out and she’ll be right there.”
The greatest competition for Southwind Milk will likely come from the Luc Blais-trained Lasting Dream from post three with Louis Roy in the bike. The Cantab Hall-sired filly placed in her first two starts before stepping up with a 1:56 4/5 win on August 1 in the Pure Ivory. Still, she’ll have to drop nearly two seconds in time to catch Southwind Milk, who has high aspirations, with eligibility to the Champlain, Peaceful Way, Breeders Crown, and perhaps thoughts on the biggest prize for 2-year-olds.
“That’s always a thought in back of your mind but you kind of want to get the Peaceful Way out of your way first before thinking about it,” said Bax about seeing his filly in the Mohawk Million in September.
The competition on paper is a bit tougher in the seventh-race Millard Farms final but Bax does have the 8-5 early choice in Extended Session. The son of Walner from Mom’s Millionaire, a producer of Snow White ($1.4 million) and That’s All Moni ($501K), Extended Session has made four trips to the track (three pari-mutuel) and crossed the wire first in each of them, with a 1:56 winning time last out his best.
“He’s been a professional at the top of the class since day one,” said Bax, who sends out Extended Session from post one with MacDonald also in the sulky. “He has incredible speed and we are excited to see what he can do.”
There is strength in numbers and Bax has two others he hopes will step up.
“All Valley is getting a little better every week,” said Bax. “We’ve been working on some shoeing issues. If he keeps improving he can be a factor.
“Southwind Caspian is maybe a touch behind everyone mentally but he has the speed,” continued the trainer. “The last couple of starts he learned a little more and he can sprint with them, so maybe he can be a factor with them.”
All Valley starts from post three with Todd Ratchford while Southwind Caspian has the six hole with Paul MacDonell behind the lines.
Trainer Blais again has the top contender and this time a very serious one at that in Emoticon Legacy, a winner of his lone start in 1:55 3/5.
“That’s a very talented horse and both of them can sprint at the end of the mile. It will be an interesting race and a good test for them going forward,” said Bax about the matchup.
Emoticon Legacy, a half-brother to recent Hambletonian Oaks starter Drawn Impression, starts from post five with Roy in the bike.
Post time for the 10-race card is 7:10 PM (EDT) and free Harness Eye past performances can be found here.