Woodbine Mohawk Park: Holloway, Norman look to take home Canadian hardware

It's been an interesting year for Perfect Sting, along with his trainer Joe Holloway. Known for being undefeated as a 2-year-old in 2020, Perfect Sting's winning streak came to an early end this year, and the royally-bred son of Always B Miki and Shebestingin has been on somewhat of an apology tour. Much of that may have changed last Saturday night when David Miller guided him to victory in one of two C$50,000 eliminations for C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

"I finally saw him pulling away at the finish," said Holloway on Tuesday, much more upbeat than he's been through much of the year as he struggled to explain away some tough losses. "He always seems to be waiting on horses, but last week when David (Miller) popped the earplugs, he responded."

For Perfect Sting, the result came after he gave the appearance in early stretch that he would again play bridesmaid, with Whichwaytothebeach not just breathing down his neck but pacing past it. The complexion of the race changed in mid-stretch, and by the finish line, Perfect Sting was on his way to a decisive score.

Yet, as has been the case all year, Perfect Sting's solid performance hardly put him on top of the class, as in the other elimination race, Bulldog Hanover paced a final half without cover in the 52-second range, likely casting himself as the betting choice for trainer Jack Darling and driver Jody Jamieson in Saturday's seven-figure showdown.

"I see a lot being made about the final half," said Holloway, reflecting on the other elimination. "Even the second-place horse [Desperate Man] paced his last half in 51 2/5 or something like that. I just don't think it means that much."

In Holloway's defense, it's hard to quantify the speeds horses are traveling these days. In Bulldog Hanover's mile, a 56 3/5 first half paved the way for a big back half, but in the end the mile was timed in 1:49, faster than Perfect Sting's but hardly in the track or world record vicinity.

"I'm confident my horse has enough speed," said Holloway. "That's not been his problem."

The problem was getting maximum performance out of a colt that seems to be in need of a reminder now and then to assert himself and get the victory. In the Max Hempt on August 21, Holloway thought that Perfect Sting could convert on a pocket trip behind Lawless Shadow, but he wound up a nose shy at the wire. That's when Holloway elected to fiddle with Perfect Sting's equipment just a bit in hopes to getting him to respond with more urgency and finish off his mile in front.

With the elimination victory, Perfect Sting (post three) won't have to worry about post position on Saturday, but his trainer is hoping that he also won't have to cut the mile.

"I wouldn't mind seeing him in the pocket or racing second-over," Holloway said. "He's gotten beat cutting the mile on a few occasions, and I just think he's better chasing down horses."

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

While Holloway has been having issues finding the winner's circle with his stable's star, the same can't be said about trainer Richard "Nifty" Norman, at least when it comes to one horse he'll have going on Saturday's expansive stakes card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

"I knew she had class three months before she got to the races," said Norman about Venerable, the probable odds-on choice from post four in the C$392,000 Peaceful Way (race three) for freshman trotting fillies.

"It's amazing how quickly they come to their speed," said Norman of the freakishly-fast filly from the first crop of Walner. "I mean Walner has been having a sensational year. That she was trotting in 1:52 in her third start is unreal."

While Venerable has shown incredible speed, it's really been her incredible maturity on the racetrack that has made her a standout in her performances this year. That Norman sent her to Lexington for the Kentucky Sires Stakes and then shipped her to Ontario for last week's trials could have been a recipe for disaster, but there were no issues at all as Venerable woman-handled her competition effortlessly in her Mohawk debut, trotting a 1:54 2/5 mile while under wraps.

"We didn't change a thing," said Norman, indicating the filly was able to get over two vastly different track surfaces without adjustment.

What's been so impressive about Venerable is the confidence driver David Miller has shown in the filly that has allowed him to have her settle in the early stages and only use her speed when he needs to get the job done.

Norman hopes to secure a larger chunk of the Peaceful Way with stablemate Delilah Hanover (post 10) in the line-up.

"She hasn't gotten over this track well in either of her starts here," said Norman distinctly, despite the fact that Delilah Hanover actually won the Champlain on August 28 in one of those starts. Last week, however, she struggled to keep a smooth gait while finishing fourth to the unbeaten Adare Castle in a Peaceful Way elimination.

"We've made some changes, and she's shown me she can come home strongly from an outside post," said Norman, referring to her third-place finish in the Doherty Memorial at the Meadowlands.

While Venerable has been perfect entering Saturday's contest, Norman's 2-year-old pacing filly champion from 2020, Fire Start Hanover, had been going through some rocky moments.

"She hadn't been racing as well as we would have liked," said Norman of Fire Start Hanover, an elimination winner in last week's Fan Hanover trials. "Last week she was much better. She was on the bit from the start and was much sharper finishing."

Fire Start Hanover entered the Fan Hanover following three straight second-place finishes. Fortunately for Norman, on two of those occasions, it was stablemate Grace Hill getting the better of Fire Start Hanover. On Saturday, Fire Start Hanover will meet up with the once-beaten-in-2021 Hot Mess Express, who captured the other elimination for trainer Tony Alagna. The two fillies met in the Lynch on August 21 at Pocono, a race won by Grace Hill, where Hot Mess Express finished off-the-board after an overland journey.

The C$425,000 Fan Hanover goes as race eight, with Hot Mess Express starting from post three and Fire Start Hanover post four.

Norman reported that Hambletonian Oaks champion and recent Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final winner Bella Bellini is training well and her connections are considering supplementing to next Saturday's (September 18) Elegantimage at Woodbine Mohawk Park.