Woodbine Mohawk Park: Lyons Sentinel rallies to Roses Are Red title

Lyons Sentinel added another stakes victory to her haul this year by converting a second-over trip into a 1:49 1/5 decision in the C$316,000 Roses Are Red for pacing mares at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Rocknificent (Scott Zeron) charged away from post seven and took the bulky field of 12 to the opening quarter in 26 2/5. Meanwhile, Lyons Sentinel (Tim Tetrick) didn't show any early speed from the pole position and ended up getting away in sixth. In the backstretch, everybody was waiting for JK First Lady (Dexter Dunn) to move from fifth, and she obliged before the soft 55 4/5 half, tipping out first-over. That gave Lyons Sentinel and Keep Rockin A (Andrew McCarthy) cover to follow from second-over and third-over, but Major Occasion A (Trevor Henry) wasn't as fortunate, as she got jammed up near the back of the pack in the slow tempo and went three-wide.

JK First Lady advanced to within a neck of Rocknificent at the 1:22 4/5 three-quarters, but Rocknificent accelerated late on the final bend and put her away for good. Sensing that JK First Lady couldn't go forward any more, Tetrick sent Lyons Sentinel three-wide, and once she was shown the clear racetrack, she powered home in 26 seconds to win by a length and a half. Rocknificent wound up second, and So Much More (James MacDonald) closed well for third. Karma Seelster (Doug McNair) and Keep Rockin A were fourth and fifth.

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"It's pretty cool she's only four and competing at a high level," said Tetrick. "She's finding a better spot in my heart every day.

"Luckily there was enough leaving out of there, and I got to slide over to get in a two-wide spot. I got to find Dexter to follow him second-over. I was a little worried at the half. I was like that's pretty slow for these, but luckily my mare was really good today, and we got the job done."

Jim King Jr. trains Lyons Sentinel, a daughter of Captaintreacherous, for owner Threelyonsracing. This was her 18th career victory, and she has now earned C$1,794,972. She was the favorite and paid $3.40 to win.