Woodbine Mohawk Park: Fan Hanover showdown goes to Treacherous Reign

They were four across-the-track at the wire of tonight's C$454,000 Fan Hanover final for sophomore pacing fillies at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and it would be second choice Treacherous Reign getting a narrow victory in 1:48 3/5, a lifetime mark by over a second.

The action was wild early and wild late, as Stonebridge Soul (Sylvain Filion) and Powerful Chris (Bob McClure) sped away from the gate most swiftly, with Powerful Chris taking the lead passing the opening quarter in 27 seconds flat. Treacherous Reign (Dexter Dunn) bypassed any available tucks and drove on to the lead in between calls, followed by race favorite Warrawee Ubeaut (Yannick Gingras), who stayed on the rim until just before the 54 1/5 half to secure the lead.

With a first-over Tall Drink Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) stalled on the far turn, Warrawee Ubeaut kept clear to the 1:21 1/5 three-quarters, but the action intensified through the lane as Treacherous Reign tipped outside and Powerful Chris ducked inside, with Stonebridge Soul also showing late pep in her step. It looked like Warrawee Ubeaut might be able to hold on, but Treacherous Reign came with one final push in the closing feet, and it was enough to get her the victory by a nose. Warrawee Ubeaut had to settle for second, with Powerful Chris a neck back in third. Stonebridge Soul was fourth, less than a length behind the top three, and Beach Bar (Tim Tetrick) closed from ninth to fifth.

"I had to come into the race with confidence with the campaign she's had so far and the elimination last week," said Dunn. "She hasn't done anything wrong. I sort of knew the way she was doing her runs before tonight that she still had something left. Obviously when you come up against a great filly like Warrawee Ubeaut, you don't know. It was a pretty tough battle late, especially that last bit in the stretch. My filly, she just really dug in. She's got a real will to race and a great attitude, and it got her home tonight.

"It probably wasn't until the last 100 feet I thought I might have a chance of getting past Yannick. His sprinted pretty good out there at the top of the stretch. I sort of waited until I came out a little bit just to keep my momentum up. When I pulled out I still didn't know, maybe I was going to be second, but like I said, she dug in."

Tony Alagna trains Treacherous Reign, a filly by Captaintreacherous, for owners Alagna Racing LLC., Big Als Stables, Let It Ride Stables Inc., and Dana Parham. She made her eighth appearance in the winner's circle, and she has now pocketed C$517,365. Sent off at 5-2, she returned $7.20 to win.

"Last year when we started out in Pennsylvania with her, she actually beat Warrawee Ubeaut at The Meadows, so it wasn't out of her realm that she could do it talent-wise," stated Alagna. "We overraced her, she was tired, and I put her away. The good thing about her is she forgave and forget, and she's come back great this year. She's just been rock-solid.

"She's got the Lynch at Pocono, which she loves. She loves Pocono, and she's been very good there. That'll be the next spot on the bus as long as she comes out of this race in good shape. They're shipping home tomorrow."