Woodbine Mohawk Park: Two series finals held for rookie trotters

Summer Series action for 2-year-olds concluded Thursday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park with the Pure Ivory and Millard Farms Trotting Series finals. The C$80,500 Pure Ivory for trotting fillies and $82,500 Millard Farms for colts and geldings each featured a full field of 10 for the finales of three-week events.

Rose Run Xcentric made a big backside move from fifth to first and kept on marching to a strong career-best 1:55 3/5 victory in the Pure Ivory. Bob McClure guided the Rob Fellows trainee to the victory of a length and a half.

Samosa was the first to make the front for Sylvain Filion, posting a 28 3/5 opening quarter before releasing Eternal Lee. With Rose Run Xcentric on the move, Filion looped around with Samosa before Rose Run Xcentric took the top spot at the half in 58 2/5.

After reaching three-quarters in 1:27 1/5, Rose Run Xcentric trotted home in 28 2/5, holding Samosa at bay to score the victory. Eternal Lee was third, while Criquette Hall was fourth.

A daughter of Kadabra, Rose Run Xcentric was sent off the public's top choice and converted for her second win in five starts. The $17,000 Standardbred Horse Sale graduate boosted her earnings to C$50,150 for owners Brookbro Racing and Chris Bell. A $2 win ticket on Rose Run Xcentric returned $4.40.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Devereux Seelster won a tight photo finish to take the Millard Farms final over Delgado by the narrowest of margins.

With several breakers, including favorite World At War Deo, the Millard Farms final came down to just a small group that minded their manners. Delgado cut out an opening quarter of 28 1/5 and led until the half when Mercutio took over command. Devereux Seelster and Trevor Henry sat a close fourth and stayed glued to the rail around the final turn.

After three-quarters was reached in 1:28, Delgado quickly reclaimed the lead in the stretch and appeared poised to grab the victory. Devereux Seelster and Henry had other ideas, though, splitting between Delgado and a tiring Mercutio to set up a dramatic finish, prevailing by a nose in 1:57.

A gelded son of Trixton, Devereux Seelster is trained by Bob McIntosh and owned by his Robert McIntosh Stables, Doug McIntosh, and Randy Liepa. The rookie trotter was winless in five starts with three runner-up finishes heading into Thursday. The score puts his earnings to C$56,150. A $2 win ticket on Devereux Seelster returned $20.60.

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--