Woodbine Mohawk Park: Field set for Canadian Pacing Derby after two elims

Bythemissal won by total knockout and Tattoo Artist nailed victory in the final strides of their respective C$50,000 eliminations for the Canadian Pacing Derby on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Yannick Gingras launched Bythemissal towards the front off a contentious first half and stormed home under a death grip to win the second elimination in a 1:47 3/5 blowout.

Away fourth to a 25 3/5 first quarter, Bythemissal waited as Whichwaytothebeach retook control up the backside from Momas Son Byrne, who was carried three-wide to the first turn as Allywag Hanover also pushed for control. Whichwaytothebeach ticked a 53 3/5 half and rolled to the far turn as Gingras activated Bythemissal from fourth and marched along the rim, locking Allywag Hanover at the pylons to the final turn.

Whichwaytothebeach and Bythemissal opened ground on a tiring Momas Son Byrne, which kept Allywag Hanover backed in traffic past three-quarters in 1:21 2/5. All the while Bythemissal motored home on a widening advantage as Gingras wrangled him in to the final eighth. Bythemissal strode by the beam eight lengths better than fast-closing Lou's Pearlman with Fourever Boy rallying for third, Whichwaytothebeach faltering to fourth and Allywag Hanover squeaking into the final with a fifth-place finish.

"That's as easy as I've ever went in [1:]47, I can promise you that," Yannick Gingras said after the race. "I had a handful of pace finishing, and that was very impressive. And he's fresh too - he only has four, five, six starts and he's ready to go now. I'm looking forward to next week, that's for sure."

The win adds to a seven-figure bankroll for Bythemissal, a 4-year-old gelding by Downbytheseaside with C$1,402,209 earned from 24 starts - 20 of which are victories. Ron Burke trains the gelding for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He paid $3.20 to win.

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Linedrive Hanover appeared a measured winner in the last eighth of the first Canadian Pacing Derby elimination until Tattoo Artist emerged off a helmet and took flight, nabbing victory in the last strides of a 1:48 3/5 mile.

Hellabalou led the field by the first quarter in 26 3/5 and soon yielded command up the backside when Linedrive Hanover swept out of fourth to the lead, then took the field by the half in 54 4/5. Linedrive Hanover slowly tried to separate from his competition, and did manage to build a cushion past three-quarters in 1:22 to turn for home on a nearly four length lead.

At the top of the stretch, Tattoo Artist sat fifth and perched second-over behind stalled cover from 7-5 favorite Abuckabett Hanover. Louis-Philippe Roy tipped the 6-year-old He's Watching stallion off cover and promptly accelerated in the final eighth of a mile after Linedrive Hanover. Tattoo Artist, with a 25 2/5 final quarter, recouped a near six-length deficit to put a neck up on Linedrive Hanover, with Hellabalou another three lengths behind in third. Captain Kirk took fourth and Poseidon Seelster rounded the finalists.

"I tipped mine off the helmet [and] he went forward," Louis Roy said, "but I was like 'I'm never going to catch [James MacDonald and Linedrive Hanover].' And then I just touched my horse a little bit and he just went like he was going off the gate like a hundred. I was like 'You know what, we might have a shot.' Then, he just did the job by himself."

The win also added another feather to Tattoo Artist's lofty resume, with a bankroll now worth over C$2.5 million as he collected his 33rd victory from 87 starts. Dr. Ian Moore conditions Tattoo Artist - who paid $9.40 to win - for owners Let It Ride Stables Inc., Frank Cannon, Diamond Creek Racing and Bottom Line Racing.

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--