Woodbine Mohawk Park: Glamour boys battle in Somebeachsomewhere

Pebble Beach made an auspicious 2022 stakes debut on Saturday night, going wire-to-wire to capture the first of two divisions of the Somebeachsomewhere for 3-year-old male pacers at Woodbine Mohawk Park for driver Todd McCarthy.

Saddled with post seven, McCarthy took no chances of potential road trouble, putting the son of Downbytheseaside (he a son of the stakes namesake) in front before the opening bend. Sport Secret and Doug McNair yielded the lead, with Whiskey Break and Trevor Henry getting forced to tuck back in fourth to avoid being parked.

Once in front, Pebble Beach coasted through fractions of 27 1/5, 56 1/5 and 1:24 1/5 before sprinting home with a final quarter of 26 4/5 and a 1:51 mile. Kolby Two Step, making his sophomore debut, finished powerfully to get up for the place spot, with Sport Secret holding on to third in the C$81,000 contest.

Owned by Patricia Stables, Joe Sbrocco, Country Club Acres and Laexpressfoderadeovolente, Pebble Beach won for the eighth time in 13 career starts and returned $2.40 as the prohibitive favorite.

"He was pretty fortunate," said McCarthy of the easy journey. "He finished up really strong."

Pebble Beach bore out noticeably in the stretch, and trainer Noel Daley was quick to explain the obvious issue.

"We put a Murphy blind on him for the first time tonight," said Daley, with an indication an adjustment would be made prior to next Saturday's (June 11) North America Cup trials.

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The second C$80,000 Somebeachsomewhere proved to be quite a contentious race despite just five horses going behind the gate. Magical Arthur surprised a pair of heavy favorites to score for Trevor Henry in 1:50 3/5.

It was Magical Arthur that flew to the front when the gate opened ahead of Beach Glass, while 3-5 choice Stonebridge Helios got away last in the short field and stayed there until the 27 1/5 opening quarter when Bob McClure called on Stonebridge Helios to move towards the front. Driver Paul MacDonell sensed a slowing pace and moved Beach Glass past the leader prior to the 55 second half and then released Stonebridge Helios and McClure. MacDonell was not content to sit the pocket for long, pulled at three- quarters in 1:23, and surged past the favorite on the way to what looked like an apparent victory.

Henry, sitting chilly behind Magical Arthur, had other thoughts, and when he angled off the pylons in mid-stretch, the gelded son of Artspeak picked up the pace significantly and was able to surge by the 9-5 second favorite Beach Glass near the wire. Beach Glass was a solid second, with Stonebridge Helios settling for third after an eventful trip.

Owned and bred by David Lumsden, Magical Arthur scored in a career-best 1:50 3/5 clocking and returned $13.90.

Tony Beaton trains Magical Arthur and confirmed the gelding will be a player in next week's North America Cup trials.

"That's been the plan all along," said Beaton following the victory. "I thought he was sitting on a big effort."