Woodbine Mohawk Park: Casual Breeze splits won by Kngtstlkrs Games, Ill Have The Red

Grand Circuit stakes weekend at Woodbine Mohawk Park started with two C$82,750 Casual Breeze Stakes divisions for 3-year-old filly trotters on Friday that went to Kngtstlkrs Games and Ill Have The Red.

Kngtstlkrs Games (Louis Roy), took the lead past the 28 second opening quarter in her split, and after she hit the half in 56 2/5 and the three-quarters in 1:24 2/5, she came home in 28 2/5 to hold off a rally by pocket-sitter TH Trix R Forkids by a neck in 1:52 4/5. Calyx (Travis Cullen) was third.

"She's very little, but she's just a sportscar," Roy remarked. "She's nice to drive and she trots just perfect."

A daughter of Calgary Games, Kngtstlkrs Games is trained by Peter Shoddy for owner/breeder Knightstalker Stable. She has three wins and three thirds from nine tries, has pocketed C$80,090 and paid $18.20 to win.

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Roy went for the sweep with favorite Shimmering Hanover in the second flight, and she got to the top beyond the 27 3/5 quarter. From there, Shimmering Hanover put up middle-half fractions of 56 3/5 and 1:25, but was overtaken by pocket-sitter Flowing Tribute (Bob McClure) in the lane. However, Ill Have The Red (Trevor Henry), who had sat on the pylons in sixth, never had to leave the cones, and her 26 4/5 final quarter got her by Flowing Tribute to tally by three-quarters of a length in 1:53 2/5. Shimmering Hanover had to settle for third.

"I was expecting her to be back to herself," said winning trainer Rick Zeron, who noted Ill Have The Red had been battling a splint issue that was corrected after some vet work. "I didn't have to tell Trevor anything. He just came over and said 'what do I need to know.' I said 'she's small.'

By Chapter Seven, Ill Have The Red was bred by Black Horse Racing and John Fielding and is owned by Zeron in partnership with James Walker and Johnny Marvento. She has a summary of 4-2-0 from 14 appearances, has banked C$139,063 and returned $90.40 to win as a 44-1 shot.