Woodbine Mohawk Park: Gingras sweeps She's A Great Lady Stakes elims

Yannick Gingras was the winning driver in both C$35,000 She's A Great Lady Stakes eliminations for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park, guiding Scarlett Hanover and Caviart Audrey to victories.

In the first elimination Alumni Seelster (James MacDonald) charged out from post seven and led through a 27 2/5 quarter, but she was overtaken from the pocket by Notorious Pink (Bob McClure), and then Notorious Pink was passed by Scarlett Hanover just before the 56 second half-mile marker. Gingras put on the brakes around the far turn, getting to three-quarters in just 1:26 while facing mild first-over pressure from Best Head West (Trevor Henry), then sprinted home in 27 2/5 to prevail by a length and a half in 1:53 2/5. Notorious Pink was blocked in the two-hole with pace and had to settle for second, and she was followed by Best Head West, Spellcheck Hanover (Doug McNair), and Alumni Seelster.

"I think she's been pretty good all along, but I learn a little bit about her, too, every week. She's definitely super sharp right now," said Gingras. "That's not the way I wanted to race her, but we had to change plans going into the first turn. I would really rather have her off a helmet or something like that, but it wasn't going to work out for me. I was going to have to be first-up at Bob, so I made the move. Of course I kept him locked in. I know his filly had a lot of pace, but that's racing, and I'm trying to win the race."

The victorious Bettor's Delight filly is trained by Ashleigh Hensley for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Frank Baldachino, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Scarlett Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. and taken out of the 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale for $45,000, picked up her fifth win in her ninth attempt, has now pocketed C$222,890, and returned $3.50 to win as the bettors' choice. Scarlett Hanover is out of the Western Hanover mare Sammy's Magic Girl (1:52, $178,952), making Scarlett Hanover a half-sister to Artmagic (1:53 2/5, $417,054).

The other elimination saw Voelz Delight (Sylvain Filion) carve out a 27 1/5 opening quarter before yielding to Lady Arthur (McClure). Gingras and Caviart Audrey were fourth at that point, but Gingras brushed his filly to the top en route to a 55 3/5 half. Just like he did in the first elimination, Gingras stole a soft third quarter, this time in 29 2/5, and Caviart Audrey held sway through the lane, winning by three-parts of a length in 1:52 4/5. Twin B Sunkissed (MacDonald) rallied for second, and Paula's Bet Hanover (Mike Whelan) closed well for third. Also advancing to the final were Voelz Delight and Lady Arthur.

"She was definitely better than last week, I thought, but not quite as good as the first week she was here," remarked Gingras. "I think she's probably 80 percent, and that goes to show you how much I love this filly and how much I think how great she is. I think she's got another notch. We've got to get her where I think she's at 100 percent. The last two starts, in my opinion, she hasn't been 100 percent, but at her best she's a scary filly.

"I think maybe she's a little lonely on the front. The first start at the Meadowlands I raced her from the back, and she came an unreal last eighth. We'll see how it plays out next week, but I wouldn't mind a nice second-over trip."

Nancy Takter trains Caviart Audrey, a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, for owner Caviart Farms. Caviart Audrey, who was bred by White Birch Farm and sold for $280,000 at the 2019 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, has won four times from five starts and has now earned C$126,737. Being out of Darlin's Delight (Bettor's Delight, 1:49 1/5, $2,905,335), Caviart Audrey is a full sister to Darlinonthebeach (1:48 1/5, $1,068,564). Caviart Audrey returned $2.20 to win.

This is the draw for next Saturday night's C$455,000 final:

1-Voelz Delight
2-Twin B Sunkissed
3-Scarlett Hanover
4-Caviart Audrey
5-Notorious Pink
6-Spellcheck Hanover
7-Alumni Seelster
8-Paulas Bet Hanover
9-Lady Arthur
10-Best Head West
AE-Postscript