Woodbine Mohawk Park: Mothers Moni strikes in Simcoe Stakes

Mothers Moni came away with top honors from the C$140,000 Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old male trotters on Saturday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Driver Dexter Dunn fired Mothers Moni to the point from post one in a 26 2/5 quarter but yielded to sit behind Strobe Lite (James MacDonald) beyond that marker. Strobe Lite continued to show the way to the half in 54 3/5 and the three-quarters in 1:23 1/5, but Dunn swung Mothers Moni to the outside in the lane and was able to trot past Strobe Lite to get the victory by a length and a quarter in 1:50 4/5. Touchedbyanangel (Doug McNair) came in third.

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"I don't think the problem is the speed with him; it's just to keep his mind together," said winning trainer Domenico Cecere. "When I warmed him up tonight, I said 'this is a good thing, he's very quiet.' 26 2/5, I know it's a big (first) fraction, but from the two-hole, I was smiling in the stretch."

A gelded son of International Moni bred by owner K R Breeding LLC., Mothers Moni has a summary of 8-1-2 from 14 starts, has earned C$295,365 and paid $4.10 to win.

Cecere said Mothers Moni will now head back to Plainridge, where he's mainly raced during his career, to get ready for the Massachusetts Breeders Stakes.