Woodbine Mohawk Park: Write Me A Rose sharp in series action

Write Me A Rose lived up to the heavy favorite billing in winning Saturday's first leg of the Canadian-Sired Graduate Series at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Headlining a field of six for the C$25,000 opening leg, Write Me A Rose brushed to the lead in the second quarter from third and never looked back, kicking home in 26 1/5 to win in 1:52 for driver Doug McNair and trainer Kyle Fellows. Write Me A Rose finished a length and a quarter ahead of No Control, while Speaker Of Peace was third and Nightime Dancer fourth.

A homebred for Windermere Stable LLC., Write Me A Rose is now two-for-three this season and has career numbers of eight wins and over C$400,000 in earnings. Write Me A Rose paid $2.30 to win.

The Canadian-Sired Graduate Series continues next weekend with leg two for the Pace, Mare Pace and Trot divisions. Each event features three preliminary legs ahead of the finals on May 4.

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Saturday night's card also saw 8-year-old pacing mare Gias Surreal pick up her 36th career victory and push past C$1 million in lifetime earnings.

Trained by Don Lindsey, Gias Surreal entered Saturday's card just less than C$7,000 away from the milestone. She showed her back-class, coming first-up and then digging in down the lane to prevail in a tight photo for driver Bob McClure. The victory in the C$24,000 event was the first of the season for the successful mare.

Gias Surreal, who has raced in the sport's biggest races for pacing mares, is owned by James Graham, Edward Peron and Lee Winters.

Live racing continues Monday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Post time is 7:10 p.m.

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--