Woodbine Mohawk Park: Two-year-old pacers clash in Champlain Stakes

Rookie pacing males and fillies did battle in Champlain Stakes action on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Each group was separated into two divisions.

In the first C$93,759 flight for colts and geldings, Twin B Eagle (Sylvain Filion) posted fractions of 27 2/5, 56 2/5, and 1:24 3/5 on his way to a 1 3/4 length win in 1:51 2/5. Control Heaven (Louis-Philippe Roy) was second, followed by Pirate Hanover (Doug McNair).

Twin B Eagle had made breaks in his last two stakes attempts, both in the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series, but had no problems tonight.

"Gilles Barrieau had him down east, and he told us 'I'm sending you a horse here, and he's got some serious speed.' He showed it that first start (a 1:52 win in an overnight race on August 13), and then we decided to go Gold, and he blew up a couple times on us," remarked winning trainer Tony Beaton.

Twin B Eagle is a Sportswriter gelding trained by Beaton for owners Wayne MacRae and Daniel Ross. Twin B Eagle has three wins from six starts, has banked C$61,015, and paid $6.90 to win as the favorite. Twin B Eagle was bred by Twinbrook Limited and fetched $35,000 at last year's Standardbred Horse Sale. He's out of the McArdle mare Miller's Bird (1:55 3/5, $50,998), a half-sister to several six-figure earners, topped by Dave Ain't Here (1:52, $646,451).

Scarlett Hanover (Yannick Gingras) took the opening C$86,664 section for the fillies in 1:51 3/5. Away fifth, she moved first-over prior to the half, cleared Lady Arthur (Bob McClure) for the top spot before the 1:24 2/5 three-quarters, and kicked away in the lane to win by 4 1/2 lengths over Twin B Sunkissed (James MacDonald). Voelz Delight (Filion) was the third-place finisher.

"She was really good. She raced really well last week (a Gold Series win at Grand River), so we were expecting big things from her tonight," relayed trainer Ashleigh Hensley.

The victorious Bettor's Delight filly is trained by Hensley for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Frank Baldachino, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Scarlett Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. and taken out of the 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale for $45,000, picked up her fourth win in her eighth attempt, has now pocketed C$205,390, and returned $3.10 to win as the bettor's choice. Scarlett Hanover is out of the Western Hanover mare Sammy's Magic Girl (1:52, $178,952), making her a half-sister to Artmagic (1:53 2/5, $417,054).

Abuckabett Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) was the most-impressive Champlain victor, taking the other C$93,759 split for the males in 1:50 3/5, just a fifth of a second off the stakes record. He moved from third to first prior to the 55 4/5 half, went on to three-quarters in 1:24 2/5, and came home in 26 1/5 to draw off and win by seven lengths over Candy Trader (Filion). Twin B Fighter (Gingras) was third.

"I've driven this horse a lot, and I think he's got a hell of a lot of ability," stated McCarthy. "He felt terrific. I think he's growing up, and his gait's definitely getting better; it's getting stronger. I think he's getting a little smarter each race."

From the first crop of Betting Line, Abuckabett Hanover is trained by Tony Alagna for owners Barbera Stable, Jablonsky Held Stable, Joe Deguara, and Alagna And Inthegym. Abuckabett Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., was a $160,000 acquisition at the 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale and now has three wins, a second, and a third from five efforts to go with a bankroll of C$145,234. Abuckabett Hanover is out of the Western Ideal mare All Tucked Up (1:52, $186,629), making him a half-brother to Attention Hanover (Somebeachsomewhere, 1:51 1/5, $199,689). Abuckabett Hanover was the 2-5 favorite and paid $2.80 to win.

Gingras picked up another Champlain win in the second C$86,664 test for the fillies, winning with 1-9 Caviart Audrey. Adashious Hanover (Jody Jamieson) had the lead through panels of 26 4/5, 56 1/5, and 1:24 4/5, but Caviart Audrey wore her down from first-over in upper stretch and went on to win by a length and three-quarters in 1:53. Alumni Seelster (MacDonald) was next, with City By The Bay (Ed Hensley) rounding out the top three.

"She felt good. I wouldn't say she was 100 percent," said Gingras. "I think she's better than what she showed tonight, but that's what great horses do, they find ways to win anyway."

Nancy Takter trains Caviart Audrey, a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, for owner Caviart Farms. Caviart Audrey, who was bred by White Birch Farm and sold for $280,000 at the 2019 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, has won three times from four starts and has now earned C$109,237. Being out of Darlin's Delight (Bettor's Delight, 1:49 1/5, $2,905,335), Caviart Audrey is a full sister to Darlinonthebeach (1:48 1/5, $1,068,564). Caviart Audrey returned $2.10 to win.