Woodbine Mohawk Park: Canadian record for Don't Let'em in his Crown elimination
Don't Let'em and driver Yannick Gingras led virtually start to finish in capturing the single C$32,500 Breeders Crown elimination for sophomore male trotters Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The son of Muscle Hill scored in 1:51 3/5, equaling the track and Canadian record for a 3-year-old colt trotter.
Green Manalishi left alertly for the front with Tim Tetrick but yielded readily to Don't Let'em and Gingras into the bend. Don't Let'em marched to the quarter in 28 1/5 and waltzed to the half in 56 4/5 with little dispute.
Don't Let'em picked up the pace past the half and opened ground on pocket-sitter Green Manalishi, who had trouble keeping the clip on the turn. After getting past the three-quarters in 1:24 2/5, Don't Let'em shifted into high gear and sprinted off impressively, kicking home with a 27 1/5 final panel. Chin Chin Hall rallied from his third spot to be a solid second, with Green Manalishi holding evenly in third.
Gimpanzee made a bold late move and finished fourth ahead of Soul Strong. Rounding out the top eight that will join Hambletonian winner Forbidden Trade and Kentucky Futurity champion Greenshoe in the final next Saturday are Goes Down Smooth, Marseille and Super Schissel.
Sent off at 7-2, Don't Let'em returned $9.10 to win for owners Brittany Farms, Christina Takter, John Fielding, and Herb Liverman. Nancy Johansson trains Don't Let'em, now a three-time winner in 11 starts this year.
"He's really tricky," said Gingras of the winner. "They were going so slow out of the gate I had to get him to the front."
Gingras suggested that the Muscle Hill colt is better mannered at this time after being a handful over the summer.
"Seems like he's keeping his mind on business now," Gingras said.
Here is how the field will line up behind the gate for next Saturday night's final:
1-Green Manalishi
2-Don't Let'em
3-Marseille
4-Greenshoe
5-Chin Chin Hall
6-Gimpanzee
7-Goes Down Smooth
8-Forbidden Trade
9-Soul Strong
10-Super Schissel