Woodbine Mohawk Park: Pacing fillies clash in Fan Hanover elims

Three-year-old pacing fillies kicked off an elimination-filled program on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park in a pair of C$35,000 Fan Hanover trials. Treacherous Dragon remained undefeated this year in the first one, and Silver Label used a strong stretch kick to bag the other.

Boudoir Hanover (Todd McCarthy) zipped to the lead in a fast 26 second opening quarter in elimination one, but Treacherous Dragon (Tim Tetrick) looped from third to first before the 55 3/5 half. After taking over, Treacherous Dragon reached three-quarters in 1:23 1/5, and a 27 1/5 last quarter sealed the win by three-quarters of a length in 1:50 2/5. Prohibiiton Legal (James MacDonald) came up the inside from third to finish in the runner-up spot, and Sea Silk (Chris Page) closed well from off-the-pace to take third. Boudoir Hanover wound up fourth and Smuggle Tina (David Miller) landed the last spot in the final.

"She's grown up a lot. Brett (trainer Brett Pelling) and the connections really took a wait-and-see approach last year at 2 and let her come into herself," said Tetrick. "This year we're being a little bit more aggressive with her, and she's getting the job done, that's for sure."

Pelling trains Treacherous Dragon, a daughter of Captaintreacherous bred by White Birch Farm, for owner Hot Lead Farm LLC. She has a record of 8-4-1 from 14 lifetime starts, she has now pocketed C$376,420 and she paid $3.60 to win as the 4-5 favorite.

The second elimination saw Queen Of Success (Andy McCarthy) on the engine at the 27 1/5 opening quarter, but Dont Fence Me In (Scott Zeron) rolled out of third and became the new leader on the way to the 56 second half. Lyons Serenity (Tim Tetrick) got going two-wide from sixth heading to that marker and didn't pick up cover as Silver Label (James MacDonald) opted to stay on the cones in fourth and took a shuffle. That left favored Wickedly Innocent (T. McCarthy) second-over as she sought to join stablemate Treacherous Dragon in maintaining undefeated status this season.

Dont Fence Me In kept command to a 1:23 2/5 three-quarters but weakened in the lane as first Lyons Serenity and then Wickedly Innocent charged by her. It looked like Wickedly Innocent was on her way to win, but Silver Label had other ideas, as she was able to fan out to find space and then had the kick and time to get by Wickedly Innocent, prevailing by a neck in 1:50 4/5. Lyons Serenity, Queen Of Success, and Free To Be Me (Dexter Dunn) completed the finalists.

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"I rode the fence and I got lucky. I slid out in mid-pack and then Todd was kind of advancing quick enough that I could slide out on his back again," remarked MacDonald. "Sometimes you don't have to have the best trip, you need a little racing luck."

A daughter of Bettor's Delight, Silver Label is trained by Nick Gallucci for owner-breeder Millar Farms. She is now an eight-time winner from 11 attempts, she pushed her bankroll to C$441,809, and she returned $13.70 to win as the 5-1 fourth choice.

The field will line up as follows for the C$401,000 final next Saturday night:

1-Wickedly Innocent
2-Prohibition Legal
3-Treacherous Dragon
4-Silver Label
5-Lyons Serenity
6-Sea Silk
7-Queen Of Success
8-Smuggle Tina
9-Boudoir Hanover
10-Free To Be Me