Canadian Breeders' Championship elims contested at Mohawk

B Strike Three lived up to his 1-5 odds in the first of two $35,726 eliminations for the Canadian Breeders’ Championships for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters, as he cruised to a 1:54.4 victory at Mohawk Saturday night.

The diminutive son of Striking Sahbra took advantage of two early breaks in stride (from Worthy Advantage and Striking Rich) to gain the lead from post position #7, with linesman Rick Zeron sitting chilly through fractions of :28.0, :57.3, and 1:26.3. As the field reached the three-quarter pole, B Strike Three faced a challenge from Randy Waples and Define the World, but the son of Duke of York could get no further than the wheels behind B Strike Three as they crossed the wire. McCarron and Trevor Ritchie stepped up for third.

It was the fifth victory in seven tries for B Strike Three, who is trained by G Rousell (Razz) Mackenzie for owner/breeder Ben Robards III of Shepherdsville, Kentucky.

Brett Schultz, who is the trainer of record for B Strike Three when the colt races in the US, commented, “He raced really good. We gave him some time off, which he needed, after (his Ontario Sires Stakes victory at) Georgian Downs, and the 21 days off was very beneficial to the horse. Now we just have to keep him healthy and happy till next week’s final – that’s all we can do.”

In the second CBC elimination for trotting colts, the flashy chestnut, Shoeless White Sox, emerged triumphant in a contest which saw the lead change hands multiple times. As the field left the gate, it was Jody Jamieson and PL Broadway Joe, and Society Kad with Jack Moiseyev, who shot to the front, with Jamieson settling for the pocket spot as they reached the first quarter in :28.0. Society Kad fended off a brief challenge from Dubois of France and Sylvain Filion as they neared the half-mile in :57:3, but couldn’t prevail when Steve Condren sent Shoeless White Sox three-wide to capture the lead and accelerate away.

Then it was Shoeless White Sox’s turn to dig in, as Superfast Stuart and Mario Baillargeon came up on the outside to challenge at the three-quarter marker. The blaze-faced colt proved the tougher, powering away and crossing the wire two lengths ahead of rallying Society Kad, in a career-equaling 1:56.0.

Ballykeel Mike (Mike Saftic) moved up to capture third, and fourth- and fifth-placed Superfast Stuart and PL Broadway Joe also qualified for next week’s final.

Murray Brethour trains Shoeless White Sox for owner/breeder Chris Alexander of Aurora, Ontario. The son of Mr Lavec is now two-for-two in 2008, having been laid off since last November.

Condren noted, “He’s a nice little horse. He showed a lot of potential last year (but) got off to a slow start. He had a few issues last year, but he’s very competitive.

“I had to use him pretty hard to get there (to the front) and then Mario came hard with another horse, but he latched right on and raced with him. He gets a little lazy if he’s off by himself, but he’s still pretty green.”

The $176,000 (est.) CBC final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings is scheduled for Saturday, July 26 at Mohawk.

A short field of just five three-year-old pacing colts went postward tonight at Mohawk for the first of two $35,533 eliminations for the Canadian Breeders’ Championships, after the late scratch of Ken Sucee pupil, Cuzzin Sid – but it was all Keystone Debonair from the quarter pole on.

Jack Moiseyev sent the son of Grinfromeartoear – Dawnmarie Seelster to the lead from a pocket spot behind early pacesetter Intrepid Hero after a :26.4 first quarter. From then on, Keystone Debonair opened up an effortless five-length lead as he paced through fractions of :55.1 and 1:23.2. Heavy favourite, Lyons Geoff, put in an impressive late rush in the stretch under urging from Rick Zeron, but it was too late to catch Keystone Debonair, who was still two lengths to the good as he crossed the wire in 1:51.2.

Believeinbruiser and Mark MacDonald grabbed third, and trailers Intrepid Hero and Allamerican Dice also qualified for the final.

Trainer John Kopas noted, “He’s been racing really well the last five or six weeks. He’s coming into his own at the right time.”

Steve Condren scored his second CBC elim win of the night (having won a division for trotting colts with Shoeless White Sox) with Bob McIntosh trainee, The Mohegan Pan, in the second of the two elims for the pacing boys.

It looked to be Keystone Horatio’s race from his early rush to the front, through fractions of :26.3, :55.2, and 1:23.0, with Lucky Man (Mark MacDonald) and Trade Editor (Jason Brewer) tucked in second and third through the far turn. Trade Editor launched a brief challenge at the three-quarter pole but couldn’t pass Randy Waples and Keystone Horatio. But an impressive late rush from Condren and The Mohegan Pan snatched the victory in a new lifetime best clocking of 1:50.0. Keystone Horatio hung on for second, and there was a dead heat for third between British-owned Lucky Man, and Trade Editor.

The Mohegan Pan, by No Pan Intended out of Western Wonder, is owned by the Peter Pan Stable of Pepper Pike, Ohio, and has now scored four wins and a second in five starts this season.

Said Condren, “He’s getting stronger and stronger every week. Bob (McIntosh) and his crew have just done a tremendous job with this colt. I was just trying to get a nice trip into him tonight and keep him good and live for the final next week. I think Horatio being off for three weeks worked in our favour.

“He’s the type of horse who just responds every time you ask him.”

The $195,000 Canadian Breeders’ Championship final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings is scheduled for next Saturday night, July 26, at Mohawk. (WEG)

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