Woodbine Mohawk Park: Bythemissal equals Canadian record in his Canadian Pacing Derby elim

Yannick Gingras held Bythemissal behind pace-setter Coaches Corner for as long as possible before unleashing his headstrong charge in the stretch to take the second of two eliminations for the Grade 1 Canadian Pacing Derby in a 1:46 4/5 mile, matching the track and Canadian record, on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Bythemissal fired out of post six and notched a spot in second as Coaches Corner vaulted over to the lead approaching a 26 second first quarter. Coaches Corner maintained a steady tempo to a 53 4/5 half as Gingras took a firmer hold on Bythemissal.

Captain Luke attempted a first-over bid out of fourth through the final turn but made minimal inroads while Bythemissal continued earnestly while waiting for his cue. Gingras edged outside and encroached on Coaches Corner gradually through three-quarters in 1:20 1/5 before hitting the accelerator for home. Bythemissal soared down the lane and kicked away to a four length win over Coaches Corner in the 1:46 4/5 mile, matching the all-age track and Canadian record for pacing geldings established by Dr J Hanover in 2017 and equaled thrice since - twice by stallion Bulldog Hanover in 2022 and once by Warrawee Vital in 2023.

"In the post parade he was just the right amount on the bit, not too much - sometimes that's been part of the problem with him," Gingras said after the race. "But he was just perfect; he left out of there good, relaxed enough in the pocket. I was super pleased with him. In the last turn he was swelling up so much that I just put half my wheel on the outside to make sure I wasn't going to get locked in there, but [I] was just patient to the top of the stretch and he delivered a tremendous performance."

Ron Burke trains Bythemissal, a 6-year-old gelding by Downbytheseaside, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The gelding won his 31st race from 51 starts and has now banked C$2,750,605 in his career. Off the 3-5 favorite, he paid $3.30 to win.

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Ervin Hanover ripped from a pocket ride to post a 1:47 4/5 win in the first of two eliminations for the Canadian Pacing Derby.

Ruthless Hanover rolled forward from the center of the gate while Ervin Hanover pushed from post seven to secure the pocket seat before a 26 second first quarter. Even-money favorite Sabonis settled into fourth but became the first to break rank when pulling off the pegs to mount a first-over bid through a 54 3/5 half.

Sabonis progressed mildly on the rim through the far turn, leaving ample room for Ervin Hanover to angle outside. Roy tipped and laid aim on Ruthless Hanover spinning off three-quarters in 1:21 2/5 and engaged in a stubborn stretch battle before eventually pulling clear in the final eighth of a mile. Ervin Hanover slid away to a 1 1/4 length win over Ruthless Hanover with Oakwood Ardan IR storming from near last for third. Sabonis held fourth and Huntinthelastdolar grabbed the last berth into the final.

"I was pretty confident in my horse there, the way he felt," Louis-Philippe Roy said after the race. "I was just making sure I wasn't going to stay locked in. Ruthless [Hanover] is a good horse, too, but I feel like he can do both - put in those crazy miles and we've seen him some times, on a bad night, stop a little bit - so I wanted to not take any chance of getting locked there."

A 5-year-old stallion by Captaintreacherous, Ervin Hanover won his 21st race from 68 starts and has now earned $715,913. Dave Menary trains the stallion for owner Pollack Racing LLC. He paid $5.30 to win.

Following the last elimination for the Canadian Pacing Derby, Woodbine Mohawk Park conducted the draw for the Grade 1 Canadian Pacing Derby, which goes to post next Saturday (Aug. 30). Elimination winners Ervin Hanover and Bythemissal earned priority and protected draws between posts two through six. Below is the field for the Canadian Pacing Derby final:

Canadian Pacing Derby field

PP-Name-Driver-Trainer

1-Ruthless Hanover-Doug McNair-Thomas Cancelliere
2-Captain Luke-Dexter Dunn-Andrew Harris
3-Sabonis-Dexter Dunn-Brett Pelling
4-Bythemissal-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke
5-Maximus Miki-Scott Zeron-Thomas Cancelliere
6-Ervin Hanover-Louis Roy-Dave Menary
7-Huntinthelastdolar-Yannick Gingras-Per Engblom
8-Coaches Corner-Louis Roy-Per Engblom
9-Oakwood Ardan IR-Jordan Stratton-Robert Cleary
10-Helium N-Todd McCarthy-Dave Menary

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--