Woodbine Mohawk Park: Favorites prevail in Somebeachsomewhere

Capt Midnight and Warrawee Vital both clocked 1:48 and change miles in capturing the pair of C$77,500 Somebeachsomewhere Stakes contests for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Saturday night's program at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Steered by Andrew McCarthy, Capt Midnight got away in fourth at the 26 1/5 opening quarter in the first division and watched as Beaumond Hanover (Jody Jamieson) took the lead away from The Greek Freak (Yannick Gingras) past that marker. The Greek Freak re-moved to the point before the 54 4/5 half, but Capt Midnight was out and moving, too, and brushed past The Greek Freak beyond the half. Capt Midnight put the hammer down on the far turn, clicking off three-quarters in 1:21 3/5, and had a 27 second final kicker left him in to go on and win the race by three lengths in 1:48 3/5. Beaumond Hanover came back on to get second, and Rhythm In Motion (Sylvain Filion) checked in third.

"He was a very good 2-year-old. I think he's just got a little stronger now," remarked McCarthy. "He's grown up nice, and I just think he's getting better as the year is going on."

Tony Alagna trains Capt Midnight, a Captaintreacherous colt, for owners Marvin Katz, Ken Jacobs, Brad Grant, and Capt Midnight Racing. This was his eighth career win, and he has now earned C$571,845. He was the favorite and returned $4.20 to win.

In the other Somebeachsomewhere rumble, Captain Barbossa (McCarthy) left out from post five but was overtaken by Warrawee Vital (Trevor Henry) after the opening quarter went on the board in 26 3/5. Warrawee Vital continued on to the half in 55 and the three-quarters in 1:22 2/5, then dug in through the lane to keep Captain Barbossa at bay, prevailing by half a length in 1:48 2/5. Moneyman Hill (Jonathan Drury) collected third.

"I'm just excited. Your heart gets pounding, and it's supposed to. I think if it didn't, you shouldn't be still doing this," said winning trainer Rob Fellows. "Those were some nice horses he beat the last two weeks. He's going to go on, and hopefully we'll go to Lexington and see what happens after that. He's fast, and he's a nice horse. (He might go to) the Jug, but two heats on the same day; we'll see how he is next week."

Blair Corbeil, Yolanda Fellows, and M&S Racing Stable Inc. own Warrawee Vital, a Captaintreacherous colt. Out of the Apaches Fame mare Great Memories, he's a half-brother to not only Warrawee Ubeaut, but also millionaire Warrawee Needy, who paced in 1:46 4/5 at the Meadowlands in 2013, and to Big Bay Point, who banked over half a million and took a mark of 1:49. Warrawee Vital now has a record of 7-2-0 from ten starts, has banked C$141,003, and paid $3.20 to win.