Woodbine Mohawk Park: Eliminations held for Fan Hanover Stakes

Odds-on choices Peaky Sneaky and Party Girl Hill were the winners of the two C$35,000 Fan Hanover Stakes eliminations for sophomore pacing fillies on Saturday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

In the first elimination it was Betalady (Chris Christoforou) who took the field of seven to the 26 3/5 opening quarter, but Perfect Storm (Trevor Henry) popped out of the pocket and took control after that point. Perfect Storm rang up a half in 54 4/5 and then dueled with a first-over Peaky Sneaky (Yannick Gingras) around the far turn. Those two fillies traded blows through a 1:21 4/5 three-quarters, but Peaky Sneaky, who was racing on Lasix for the first time, forged her way by and then pulled away in the lane, winning by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:49 1/5. Alicorn (Louis Roy) gapped the winner's cover from second-over but came on for runner-up honors, and Beach Sports (Doug McNair) closed in for third. Also moving on to the final were Perfect Storm and Nectar (James MacDonald).

"Nancy (Takter) told me that she had bled her last start, so kind of forget that start. Other than that, I think she's been really consistent all year long," Gingras said. "She was on the front a couple weeks in-a-row, so I figured I'd try and give her a target, but she paced home really good tonight. She felt really strong in the last turn. The minute she cleared she got a little bit lonely there, but I kept her on her business, and she finished it up good. In the last turn she was full of pace, and I was really confident then. I think she's probably a little better with a target, but she's won on the front before, so it's not the end of the world. Hopefully we can get a good cover trip next week, and we'll see what happens."

For Gingras, this was his first drive since the Dan Patch last Friday, as he went to Canada after that and was quarantined to follow Canadian and track rules that would allow him to compete.

"It was a couple months in progress, really, trying to find out what the rules were going to be - what the government was asking and what the racetrack was asking, trying to follow everybody's rule and trying to do it the right way," remarked Gingras. "Like I was telling Bill McLinchey (Director of Racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park) earlier, if Immigration or Health Ontario knew who was calling those 25 times, they probably would have had my name barred at the border, but I kept calling to get the information correctly, and it seems like I did."

Takter trains the victorious filly by Bettor's Delight for owners Howard Taylor, Judith Taylor, and Order By Stable. Peaky Sneaky has won five times from 16 career starts, and she has now pocketed C$163,971. She was the 3-5 favorite and paid $3.20 to win.

Party Girl Hill, driven by Doug McNair for the first time, ran her record to seven wins from seven appearances with a 1:50 performance in the other elimination.

Away third from post two, McNair sent her two-wide after a 26 3/5 opening quarter and cleared to the top around Priceless (Gingras) passing a 55 3/5 half. Party Girl Hill looked to have things in control on the far turn, but Lady Lou (Jody Jamieson) came with a menacing first-over move that got her to within three-parts of a length of the lead at the 1:23 4/5 three-quarters. Party Girl Hill and Lady Lou maintained first and second through the stretch, and although Lady Lou was game on the outside, Party Girl Hill stayed in front to take a half-length decision. Karma Seelster (Henry), Laura's Love (Bob McClure), and Priceless also secured spots in the final.

"She's got a real big engine under the hood. She just goes along and does exactly what she has to do, and she's just perfect to drive," stated McNair. "I talked to Dexter (Dunn) about her throughout the week, and she was exactly how he said she would be. She just kind of relaxes on the lead, and then when you want her to go, she goes. Jody kind of came quick on us on the last turn, and she brushed with him. She did everything right in the lane. She fought him tough, and she raced real well. Hopefully she's the one to beat next week."

Normally trained by Chris Ryder, Party Girl Hill is racing out of Chantal Mitchell's barn while in Canada. Owned and bred by Tom Hill, Party Girl Hill, who is by Captaintreacherous, has banked $207,881 to go with her undefeated status. She was the 1-5 choice and returned $2.40 to win.

This is how the field will line up behind the gate for next Saturday night's C$400,000 final:

1-Karma Seelster
2-Laura's Love
3-Party Girl Hill
4-Peaky Sneaky
5-Lady Lou
6-Priceless
7-Perfect Storm
8-Alicorn
9-Nectar
10-Beach Sports
AE-Rose Run Vantage