Woodbine Mohawk Park: Mohawk Million brings together intriguing group on Saturday

Saturday night will mark the fourth year of the Mohawk Million, which will come two days following the first $1 million Little Brown Jug. In a sport that has struggled to reach seven-figure purses over the years, it's great to see tradition rewarded in the case of the ageless Jug and attempt to be continued in the Mohawk Million.

The Mohawk Million has been the sport's most intriguing event since its inception. The reason is obvious. It's a 2-year-old trotting event contested at a time in the year when most have shown ability in one form or another. However, unlike traditional stakes races that find horses nominated and then sustained before declaring into the race, the Million finds itself with placeholders working out behind the scenes deals in advance of the entry box closing and attempting to secure a field of 10. The result is not always as expected, as often horses that one would never expect to see in a million-dollar race arrive with the opportunity of a lifetime.

Trainer Nancy Takter clearly has the best 2-year-old trotter in North America with the unbeaten and now Kentucky champion Karl. A few weeks back when asked about shipping the Tactical Landing-sired colt in for the Mohawk Million she suggested it wasn't on her radar. To me that seemed odd given Karl's enormous talent and the opportunity to race for the large purse. Takter revealed that the ownership of Karl did not own a place in the Mohawk Million and thus a deal would need to be worked out to "share" in the purse should Karl compete under another owner's sponsorship. It's a deal the owners of Karl elected not to make. At the time prior to the Kentucky final Takter said, "He's got some big purses to race for down here in Kentucky and the Breeders Crown." Clearly in those events the owners are in line for 100 percent of the return.

Regardless of deal making, the close scheduling of the Kentucky championship with the Mohawk Million adds another wrinkle to the equation, though it didn't stop the connections of Show Me (Andy/Julie Miller) from shipping north following Monday's (September 18) victory in the Commonwealth final.

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While some owners weren't willing to deal to find a spot in the Mohawk Million, several were, and for now that is something that will keep this race alive. Without solid sponsorship there wouldn't be a Mohawk Million in the first place, and the sport needs to stand behind those willing to fund this race. If Karl is the perceived best freshman in training, it would be unfair not to suggest that T C I is far more accomplished at this point if far less flashy. A winner in the first-ever Peter Haughton Memorial contested at Hoosier Park (thankfully a tradition upheld following the Meadowlands dropping the race) last Friday (September 15), T C I, a son of Cantab Hall that would see his earnings go over $1 million with a win on Saturday night, is the only horse to "earn" his spot in the final based on a victory in the Wellwood Memorial on August 26.

For T C I the victories this year have come with extensive travel, as trainer Ron Burke has put the colt in position to prosper, and there has not been a single disappointment to date. The nine rivals he'll face on Saturday night lack his experience, even if some at one point will reach his talent level. Burke has been vocal publicly about his wish for driver David Miller to race T C I from off-the-pace, but given Miller's ability to get T C I to the front without overworking him, the best result has been wins on the front-end with a horse that has yet to struggle in the stretch.

That was the case the other night in the Haughton Memorial as Miller looked for the first time to be following Burke's advice and taking T C I off the leaders before the first turn. The plan changed quickly when Miller saw what was in front of him and was not keen on giving up the advantage he was sitting behind.

Not all the Mohawk Million contenders needed to buy into the race, as some owners secured spots and found horses within their own ranks to qualify for coveted positions. Serge Godin's Determination had two spots before the draw and found two solid representatives from trainer Luc Blais's well-bred and funded collection. The more interesting of the pair is the filly Drawn Impression, a daughter of Muscle Hill and the first foal from the $1.7 million-winning Emoticon Hanover. Undefeated in three career starts, including the August 26 Peaceful Way, Drawn Impression has never had to travel away from home to race. That she went a fifth of a second faster than T C I had to go on the same night at Woodbine Mohawk Park when he was capturing the Wellwood is a fact, but hardly a means of comparing the two to date. His activity is matched by her inactivity as T C I followed up his Wellwood score with a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship and the Haughton. Drawn Impression was withdrawn from last week's (September 14) Champlain due to sickness.

Drawn Impression won't be the only filly in the race, with the Tactical Landing filly Allegiant making the ship from Kentucky northward following a disappointing effort in the Championship Series final on September 17. Previously, Allegiant had used dual-eligibility to her advantage, racing in New Jersey as well. She enters the Mohawk Million as the fastest horse in the race by way of her 1:52 2/5 effort at The Red Mile on September 5. How she'll handle the long ship and racing back in six days remains to be seen, but there is indeed a bright spot here with Scott Zeron in the bike looking for his third $1 million race of the year after capturing the North America Cup and Hambletonian.

The Little Brown Jug, with current funding strong in Ohio, is likely to be able to command a seven-figure purse in years to come and be a natural draw for top pacers, with nominations likely to rise, as well as the ability for supplements. How the Mohawk Million will proceed or whether it becomes part of harness racing tradition remains to be seen, but here's hoping it becomes a mainstay on the stakes landscape.