Woodbine Mohawk Park: Ready For Moni best in Goodtimes final

Ready For Moni may have given chalk players some anxious moments, but once into the stretch the sophomore son of Ready Cash exploded to victory in the C$215,000 Goodtimes Stakes final for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday night.

Hayek and Sylvain Filion left sharply from the inside and seated many rivals, including the 1-5 favorite Ready For Moni through a 27 1/5 opening quarter. Hayek marched down to the half in 55 3/5 while Play Trix On Me moved without cover for Bob McClure, followed in the outer tier by elimination winners HP Royal Theo and Ready For Moni.

Filion looked to gain some separation during the third quarter, and Play Trix On Me helped him along by failing to advance during that point of the race. A 28 1/5 panel had Hayek on the lead turning into the homestretch, but the lead was quickly evaporating as HP Royal Theo made a sweeping move to gain control in early stretch, with Ready For Moni right on his heels.

Once in the straightaway, Yannick Gingras gave Ready For Moni his cue, and the Nancy Takter-trained colt hit high gear, roaring to the front. Hot Wheelz rallied stoutly late for the place spot at 40-1, with HP Royal Theo settling for third in the 1:52 1/5 mile.

It was the fifth victory in six starts in 2020 for Ready For Moni, who is owned by John Fielding, Lindy Farms, Herb Liverman, and Bud Hatfield. Ready For Moni returned $2.40 as the prohibitive choice.

"It's not the way I drew it up," said a relieved Gingras in the winner's circle. "I don't know why, my horse today, he was on the right line, and he's never done that really. He was on the on the right line like something was wrong equipment-wise. I brought him back to the paddock before the race, and we looked it over, and everything was perfectly fine.

"I'm not sure what the reason was, but I had a really hard time moving him wide. In the backstretch I was worried because I could barely get him in the two-wide path. At the top of the stretch, I forced him, and that's the difference between Ready For Moni this year and last year. Last year, no doubt he would have made a miscue, but tonight he's just all professional. He's such a nice horse, and he's beautiful to drive."

Takter, watching the race from afar, was equally concerned, though more about the horses Ready For Moni had in front of him.

"I had all the confidence in the world in my horse. It was everyone else in the way I was worried about," Takter said, jokingly.