Woodbine Mohawk Park: Roy triumphant in Dream Maker, Whenuwishuponastar finals

Louis-Philippe Roy nabbed the pair of Grade 3 events for pacing 2-year-olds at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday night (Aug. 21), winning the C$120,000 Dream Maker final with undefeated colt Shalom Hanover and the C$125,000 Whenuwishuponastar final with filly Treacherous Nova.

Shalom Hanover upped his unbeaten record to four with a 1:51 4/5 stroll as the 1-9 favorite in the Dream Maker final. Roy planted the Dr. Ian Moore trainee into fourth heading to a 27 1/5 first quarter and soon angled outside for a steady brush after leader L A Captain. He cleared control just after a 56 2/5 half and cruised around the far turn to clock three-quarters in 1:25 2/5 before sprinting for the finish in-hand for a 3 1/4 length win. L A Captain held second from rallying Billy Hill, while Total Account checked in fourth.

"The last few starts I feel like he's been the same pretty much," Roy said. "He's felt good and put those big miles in the States. Tonight he didn't need to do that tough of a mile. I think Doc brought him here ready early in the season, and I'm just excited to see when it's going to stop and if there's a horse that can beat him."

A Papi Rob Hanover-Sammys Magic Girl colt, Shalom Hanover, owned by Shalom Hanover Stable, has now banked C$169,558 from his four victories, which also includes a Tompkins-Geers stake in his debut at Woodbine Mohawk Park and a pair of Pennsylvania Sires Stakes wins - his most recent a lifetime-best and track record 1:49 2/5 mile at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. Dr. Moore said after the race that his next start should be in the Nassagaweya Stakes next Saturday (Aug. 29) at Woodbine Mohawk Park before shipping south for the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes final. He paid $2.10 to win.

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Treacherous Nova ground first-up and powered past favorite Mericana Hanover to win the Whenuwishuponastar final earlier on the card in a 1:51 2/5 mile.

Lyons Cariemontana rushed from the outermost post and crossed to the lead entering the first turn as Mericana Hanover plugged forward and laid aim on the top into a 27 1/5 first quarter. Mericana Hanover slid to the front into the backstretch and slowed the tempo to a 56 2/5 half, prompting Roy to angle outside with Treacherous Nova. Roy idled briefly to try and fish cover, but with no bites he marched up the rim after Mericana Hanover and drew to the leader's wheel passing three-quarters in 1:24 2/5. Treacherous Nova overhauled Mericana Hanover in the stretch and maintained her speed to the finish for a 1 1/4 length win over Mauritius, who rallied from a second-over trip for second. Rockin Jade Deo took third and Mericana Hanover settled for fourth.

"When she won her maiden, she had to work hard - we were sprinting at the end of the mile, and the fact that she really wanted to do it told me a little bit about what kind of filly she was," Roy said. "That wasn't my favorite spot to be [first-up]. I was hoping to flush Bob [McClure with Rockin Jade Deo], especially knowing the two fillies up front raced [hard] to the quarter. That made me kind of happy coming on them first-up instead of coming on fresh ones. Kevin Benn's group got her very ready for tonight. That's the first time she had the pull-plugs in; she used to have the cones where she could hear nothing. I don't know if that helped, but she stayed game on me until the wire."

Kevin Benn trains and co-owns Treacherous Nova, a filly by Captaintreacherous-JBs Shooting Star, with partners Leo Fleming and Dennis Chadwick. The filly won her second race from five starts this season and has now earned C$81,500. Sent off as the second choice in the betting, Treacherous Nova paid $10.30 to win.

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--