Woodbine Mohawk Park: Notorious Pink completes the Whenuwishuponastar sweep
Notorious Pink completed the sweep of the Whenuwishuponastar Series on Tuesday evening to give trainer Tony Alagna his third consecutive title in the event.
A field of nine 2-year-old pacing fillies squared off in the C$80,500 final of the Whenuwishuponastar and dominance is a perfect word to describe the last three weeks and years of the event.
Notorious Pink was sent off as the 1/5 favorite after a pair of wire-to-wire wins in the preliminary leg. Driver Bob McClure, who celebrated a milestone Tuesday, changed tactics this week, getting away fifth while a group of rivals flashed early speed in search of a spot at the front.
Adashious Hanover made the front at an opening quarter of 26 4/5, allowed Extrilla Hanover to clear and then moved to lead up to the half in 55 1/5.
Notorious Pink got her cue to go from McClure and confidently advanced first-up to within a head of the lead at three-quarters in 1:24. The Alagna trainee claimed the lead at the head of the lane and made no mistakes by kicking home in 27 2/5 for a career-best 1:51 2/5 victory.
Postscript rallied from third-over to finish second by 3 1/2 lengths, while Spellcheck Hanover and Lady Midnight completed the Superfecta.
"Tonight was definitely her best (race), but the first week I called on her to win and she showed me gears that nobody expected or I didn't anyways and the next week I won by as little as I could and put her to sleep," said McClure of Notorious Pink's series sweep. "This week when she had a target…she was digging in that last turn and I was coming as slow as I could and she wanted to get around them.
"She just paced right through the wire like it was not even work, so she's pretty impressive."
A daughter of Captaintreacherous, Notorious Pink is now undefeated in four starts and has earned $65,450. She is a $35,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale graduate and is owned by Alagna And Grant, Big Als Stables, Riverview Racing and Fodera And Head Stable.
Notorious Pink's win gives trainer Alagna his third straight Whenuwishuponastar Series victory. All three series titles have come with daughters of the legendary Captaintreacherous, who Alagna campaigned.
Next up for Notorious Pink is a trip to Lexington for the Kentucky Sires Stakes. She is eligible to the Shes A Great Lady, which takes place on September 26 at Mohawk Park.
Tuesday evening's card also saw driver Bob McClure surpass $25 million in career earnings. The 2019 Dan Patch Rising Star Award winner took the evening's second-race with 3-year-old pacing filly Preeminence to reach the milestone.
"It's a real nice feather in your cap," said McClure of the milestone. "It's a testament to a lot of people that got me here too, so I'm grateful."
McClure reaches $25 million during his 12th season of driving and has surpassed the $5 million mark in each of the last two seasons, including a career high $5.9 million in 2019.
Live racing resumes Thursday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Post time is 7 p.m.
-edited release (Mark McKelvie for Woodbine)