Woodbine Mohawk Park: Sophomore filly trotters meet in two Breeders Crown elims

Three-year-old filly trotters started Saturday night's Breeders Crown eliminations at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and it would be The Ice Dutchess and Millies Possesion emerging with wins, knocking off the favorites in their respective races.

In the first C$32,500 elimination Grimmie Hanover (Corey Callahan) was in front at the 28 1/5 opening quarter, but The Ice Dutchess (Yannick Gingras) was out and moving on the rim at that point, and she would clear to command past that mark. The Ice Dutchess would go on to a sensible 57 second half, and then Gingras put the hammer down in the third quarter, going 27 3/5 and opening up a gap on the field.

Race favorite Evident Beauty (David Miller) had come off the rail from third as The Ice Dutchess ripped through the 1:24 3/5 three-quarters, and she was making up ground in the lane, but then she made a break in stride, leaving The Ice Dutchess clearly in front en route to a 1 3/4 length decision in 1:53. Only Take Cash (Trevor Henry) was up for second, and Winndevie (Brian Sears) closed strongly from the back of the pack for third. Grimmie Hanover and Seaside Bliss (James MacDonald) also advanced to the final.

"She's been good for a few starts. Nancy's (trainer Nancy Johansson) got her figured out gait-wise and stuff. She's as good as she's going to get. It's just a matter of getting her in the right spot," said Gingras. "I think in Lexington last time, I thought she raced really good to just miss (a second in the Kentucky Filly Futurity). She was good tonight, and we're going to take it.

"I thought that maybe I'd end up on the front, and I was perfectly okay with that. I think the filly, it doesn't matter the trip with her. When she's on her game she can do it any which way."

Johansson trains The Ice Dutchess, a daughter of Muscle Hill, for owner John Floren and his Coyote Wynd Farms. This was her tenth career win, and she has now earned C$717,032. She was the 3-1 second choice and paid $8.80 to win.

"She's a really nice filly. When she gets everything put together I think she's actually one of the best fillies in the group," remarked Johansson. "We've had a little bit of trouble getting her around this track, but I think we've got the right shoe combination now, and I think she'll be fine.

"She looked strong, and I know she trained super up to this start, so I wasn't really worried about her not finishing strong or anything. She's just like a really nice filly. As long as everything kind of goes her way, I think she's tough to beat."

Johansson put The Ice Dutchess on Lasix late last month, and she seems to have improved on the anti-bleeding medication.

"When she raced in the Elegantimage up here, I thought she looked probably the best she's looked around this track prior to tonight. She actually did bleed in that start for us, so we put her on Lasix when we got to Lexington, and it obviously helped her," Johansson finished.

The other C$32,500 elimination saw Hambletonian Oaks winner When Dovescry (Simon Allard) on the engine at the 27 second opening quarter, but Millies Possesion (Dexter Dunn) moved to the outside with authority from fifth in the second quarter, and she took over control before the 56 1/5 half.

Millies Possesion remained clear around the last turn, reaching three-quarters in 1:24, and a 29 second final kicker got her to the wire a length ahead of When Dovescry in a 1:53 mile. Sweet Chapter (Matt Kakaley), Asiago (Tim Tetrick), and Miss Trixton (Sears) were the other fillies to move on to the final.

"She's a great filly, and she's proved it all year long. She's had one miss, which was last start at Lexington. She's put some great runs in," stated Dunn. "They sort of really backed the pace off there going down the back, and I decided to move her. I said to (trainer) Jim (Campbell) 'that's probably the best she's trotted all year.' She was great.

"She gives you a lot of confidence. If you chuck away her last start, she's never gotten tired in a mile. She's always right there, and she keeps trucking."

A daughter of Possess The Will, Millies Possesion is trained by Campbell for owner/breeder Fashion Farms LLC. She has a record of 11-1-1 from 14 lifetime efforts, and she has put away C$504,787. Dispatched at 6-1, she returned $14.00 to win.

"She's been a true professional right from Day One," said Campbell. "Dexter started with her, and he's done a tremendous job with her, but I give the most credit to her caretaker Anne Mosner. She's just worked very hard on this filly all year long, and she's just done such a terrific job with her. She's took care of her last year, and she didn't make it to the races last year, but I give Anne all the credit. She's worked really hard on her.

"She had a legit excuse her last start in Lexington (a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Filly Futurity). We scoped her afterwards, and she scoped sick. We got her back to New Jersey and got her on some antibiotics. She acted good training this week, and she showed it tonight."

Here is how the field will line up for next Saturday night's final. By virtue of winning their eliminations, The Ice Dutchess and Millies Possesion drew for posts one through five.

1-The Ice Dutchess
2-Millies Possesion
3-Miss Trixton
4-Asiago
5-Sweet Chapter
6-When Dovescry
7-Winndevie
8-Grimmie Hanover
9-Seaside Bliss
10-Only Take Cash