Woodbine Mohawk Park: Louies Girl N, Miki And Minnie bloom in Roses Are Red elims

Louies Girl N and Miki And Minnie were winners in Saturday evening's Roses Are Red eliminations at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The older pacing mares for the Roses Are Red delivered a pair of exciting splits to determine the field of 10 for next Saturday's C$220,000 Grade 1 final.

Louies Girl N and driver Jason Bartlett went a big trip first-up to win the first C$35,000 elimination in 1:49 4/5. The even-money favorite moved out from third nearing the half to make a bid for the lead and ended up in a third quarter throwdown with leader Always B Naughty, reaching that marker in 1:21 2/5.

In the stretch, Louies Girl N took a clear lead and then had to dig deep late to hold off a challenge from 99-1 shot Always Dawn to hold on for the win. Rodeo Drive Deo was third, while Twin B Joe Fresh finished fourth in her season debut. Grit N Grace got the last spot into next week's final with a fifth-place finish.

A 6-year-old New Zealand-bred daughter of Lord Forbes, Louies Girl N is now seven-for-nine on the season with over C$330,000 earned. The Per Engblom trainee has stepped up big to join the Grand Circuit ranks for owner Peaceful Acre Farm.

"After we raced her a couple of times, I was hoping she was going to be an open mare at Yonkers, because you showed that pretty quick, and well, she just kept getting better and better," said Engblom. "This was the first race on a big track, and I thought it was going to be a long way home for being first up, but she handled it well."

Louies Girl N paid $4.20 to win.

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Miki And Minnie and driver James MacDonald converted off a second-over trip to win the second elimination in 1:50 1/5.

Getting away fourth, the Chris Ryder-trained Miki And Minnie was able to follow The Last Martini around the last turn in that second-over position as Aardie B Miki N cut out fractions of 26 2/5, 55 1/5 and 1:23 1/5.

In the stretch, Miki And Minnie muscled by The Last Martini to pick up her first win as a 4-year-old. The Last Martini held second, while Absolution got up for third at 25-1. The top five finishers were rounded out by Talk Curdy To Me and Skywalker Sea.

A daughter of Always B Miki, Miki And Minnie is now one-for-two to start her four-year-old campaign. The career winner of C$2.7 million picked up her 20th lifetime win from 28 starts for owners Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo and Lawrence Minowitz.

Miki And Minnie paid $2.10 to win.

Field for the Roses Are Red:

POST - HORSE

1 - Skywalker Sea
2 - Miki N Minnie
3 - Louies Girl N
4 - Grit N Grace
5 - Rodeo Drive Deo
6 - The Last Martini
7 - Talk Curdy To Me
8 - Always Dawn
9 - Twin B Joe Fresh
10 - Absolution

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--