Woodbine Mohawk Park: Rookie pacers clash in Metro, She's A Great Lady elims

Two-year-old pacers of both sexes were in action on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park in eliminations for the Metro and She's A Great Lady.

Captain Optimistic and Fallout grabbed the ultimate momentum for next Saturday’s C$1 million Metro Pace with victories in Saturday’s eliminations.

A pair of C$40,000 eliminations were contested, with the top five finishers from each advancing.

Captain Optimistic was the final horse to the lead after an opening-half front-end shuffle and never looked back for a 1:50 2/5 score.

Driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Nancy Takter, Captain Optimistic got away fourth and was quickly moving in the second quarter, overtaking Papis Pistol to hit the half in 56 seconds. After pacing a comfortable 28 second third quarter, Captain Optimistic faced a challenge from Prince Hal Hanover down the lane, turning that rival aside with a 26 2/5 kicker to secure the victory by a length and a half. Prince Hal Hanover, Papis Pistol, Strangerinthenight and Blue Onyx completed the top-five.

A son of Captaintreacherous, Captain Optimistic is now five-for-six in his rookie season and has earned over C$160,000 for owners 3 Brothers Stables, Marvin Katz and Caviart Farms.

"They weren't going much and that made my decision there," said Gingras about moving Captain Optimistic to the lead. "He is so much better off a helmet. First couple times I raced him off a helmet he just exploded home. I personally like him that way, but in this situation it's so important to win the elimination. Now you're guaranteed posts two through six...I value it a lot."

Captain Optimistic paid $2.90 to win.

Fallout sat a perfect two-hole trip and came up the inside in the lane to draw away for a stunning 1:49 3/5 victory in the second C$40,000 elimination.

Driven by Tim Tetrick, Fallout left quickly from post two and got right behind the heavy favorite Swingtown, who was a charged-up leader at the quarter in 26 4/5. The leader was able to back things down for a 28 4/5 second split before a 27 2/5 third quarter. After watching patiently from the two-hole, Fallout rocketed up the inside after Fallout drifted out and pulled away strongly for the sub-1:50 score. Banderas got by Fallout for second, while TH Kay C Crunch was fourth and Brigade fifth to make the final.

"I've loved him right along," said Tetrick of Fallout. "He's raced good every time; he's just got caught in a couple world record miles, and today he got a really good spot and he performed great.

"My whole intention was not to even pull him and just follow (Swingtown) around there and try to have him raging for the final. I looked up and I had more go than he did. The rail opened up and he shot right through easy."

Trained by Tony Alagna, Fallout is now two-for-seven with C$90,000-plus earned for owners Robert Leblanc, Pryde Stables and Caviart Farms. The son of Captaintreacherous will be the leader of four horses for Alagna in next Saturday’s C$1 million final. Fallout paid $17.50 to win.

The post positions for the Metro Pace will be drawn Monday evening at 6:15 p.m. on the Woodbine simulcast show.

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Chantilly and Cant See Me both delivered as short prices in their respective C$35,000 eliminations for the She's A Great Lady.

In the first elimination, Cant See Me popped pocket to score as the 8-5 second choice in a 1:51 3/5 mile. Driver Bob McClure settled for a seat behind revved-up My Sweet Lily, who muscled through a clip of 27 2/5, 56 4/5 and 1:25 1/5 before evening into the stretch. McClure gave Cant See Me racetrack in the lane and kicked clear to a 1 1/2 length win over Cowgirl Hanover, while My Sweet Lily held third from Treacheryinthedark. Papi's Opinion rounded the top five.

"She ended up being a little sick [in the Whenuwishuponastar]. That was a minor hiccup [and] she's been perfect ever since," McClure said. "I don't think there's any downside trip to her. She's just a very smart, professional filly and getting stronger every week, too."

Shawn Steacy trains Cant See Me, a daughter of Captaintreacherous, for owner Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. She won her fourth race from six starts, has now earned $123,811 and paid $5.20 to win.

Chantilly extended her undefeated streak to six wins with a wrapped-up 1:50 4/5 win as the 1-5 choice in the second elimination. Away third to a 27 1/5 first quarter, driver James MacDonald let Chantilly roll to the top moving up the backside and crossed to command before a 55 3/5 half. She had the race locked from there, clocking three-quarters in 1:24 and hitting the accelerator in the lane until MacDonald shut her down in the last eighth. The Last Martini rallied to finish second, beaten a length, while Lily White Hanover, Nice Buns and Tall Dark Lady earned the remaining spots to the final.

"I never try to stretch them out too much training, but she did everything so easy," trainer Nick Gallucci said after the race. "She hurt herself a little bit in the field, so she was always a little bit behind the group. But anytime you asked her, she caught back up and [she] continues to improve.

"I've never had one get this good this early, maybe this good ever," Gallucci also said. "We'll just hold our breath and hopefully she continues."

A homebred daughter of Big Jim for Millar Farms, Chantilly has now earned C$275,000. She paid $2.10 to win.

The post positions for next Saturday's C$532,000 She's A Great Lady final were drawn on Saturday night.

1 - Papi's Opinion
2 - Chantilly
3 - Tall Dark Lady
4 - My Sweet Lily
5 - Cant See Me
6 - Lily White Hanover
7 - Nice Buns
8 - The Last Martini
9 - Treacheryinthedark
10 - Cowgirl Hanover
AE – Millie May Hanover

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--