by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — The Champlain and Simcoe Stakes concluded for another season Saturday evening (Sept. 10) at Mohawk Racetrack.

A total of five Grand Circuit divisions were contested with the featured event being the C$204,040 Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old pacers. The Champlain Open and Champlain Filly categories each featured two divisions.

Betting Line, the 2016 Pepsi North America Cup champion, overcame post 10 to win his 11th consecutive race in Saturday’s C$204,040 Simcoe Stakes.

New Image Media photo

Betting Line overcame post 10 to win his 11th consecutive race in Saturday’s C$204,040 Simcoe Stakes.

The Casie Coleman trained colt got away fifth with driver David Miller, while Lyons Snyder powered to the front in :27. The leader continued to motor along in the second quarter and reached the half in :54.

As Lyons Snyder set big fractions, the field was strung out and Betting Line was 11 lengths from the front at the half. Lyons Snyder took the field by three-quarters in 1:20.4 and had an eight length advantage on Betting Line, who was getting into gear and fourth.

In the stretch, Betting Line was able to reel in Lyons Snyder and get by in deep stretch for a half-length victory in 1:49.1. Voracity finished third, while Easy Lover Hanover was fourth.

Betting Line’s Simcoe victory extends his current win streak to 11. The Coleman trainee’s only loss came in his 2016 season’s debut. The son of Bettor’s Delight has earned more than C$1.2 million this season for owners West Wins Stable, Christine Calhoun and Mac Nichol. Betting Line is now a 17-time winner with career earnings exceeding C$1.8 million. His next start will be in the Little Brown Jug on Sept. 22.

Metro Pace winner Beyond Delight returned to the winner’s circle in a C$105,474 Champlain division. Driver Sylvain Filion switched up his approach and put Beyond Delight on the front end. The Tony O’Sullivan trainee cut out fractions of :27, :56.4 and 1:24.4 to lead the field into the lane.

Beyond Delight, who felt first up pressure from Filibuster Hanover on the far turn, turned away all rivals and pulled away late for a two length victory in 1:52.1. Blood Line finished second, while Windsong Napoleon was full of pace and finished third.

A son of Bettor’s Delight, Beyond Delight now has three consecutive victories after starting his career winless in seven. The O’Sullivan trainee, who was a $50,000 yearling purchase at Harrisburg, has broken through in recent weeks with his Metro Pace victory and now has more than C$420,000 earned for owners Jeffrey and Michael Snyder and Four Friends Racing Stable LLC. Beyond Delight paid $3.50 to win.

Coming off a third-place finish in the Metro Pace, Ideal Wheel turned heads with an unorthodox victory in the other C$105,474 Champlain division.

The Casie Coleman trained colt was pushed to the front by driver David Miller to cut an opening quarter of :27.3. Ideal Wheel then really took off and paced a :26.3 second quarter to lead by more than 11 lengths at the half in :54.1.

The son of American Ideal just continued to go full throttle around the final turn and reached the three-quarter pole in a jaw-dropping 1:20.3, with more than 13 lengths back to his nearest rival. As expected, Ideal Wheel began to fade in the stretch, but his lead was too much for any rival to overcome. The Coleman trainee paced a :31.1 final quarter, but won by 2-1/4 lengths in a career-best 1:51.4. Very Special Agent finished second, while Odds On Delray, the Metro Pace Consolation winner, was third.

Ideal Wheel is owned by Mac Nichol and was a $150,000 yearling purchase at last year’s Harrisburg Sale. The Coleman trainee now has three wins from six starts and more than C$155,000 earned to begin his career. Ideal Wheel paid $2.90 to win.

Everyones Watching broke her maiden with a 1:52.4 victory in the C$104,566 Champlain Filly first division.

The Tony Alagna trained filly got a patient drive from Jody Jamieson, as she sat fourth throughout the opening stages. Everyones Watching was edged to the outside nearing the three-quarter pole to catch cover into the lane. The daughter of Artiscape unleashed a :26.4 final quarter to get up for the win. Windy Sport, who provided the cover for the winner, finished a neck back in second, while Happy Hannah, who cut the mile, was third.

A $100,000 yearling purchase at last year’s Harrisburg Sale, Everyones Watching was coming into the Champlain off a fourth place effort in the She’s A Great Lady. The rookie pacing filly was winless in five starts before Saturday, but had never finished out of the money. Everyones Watching pushed her earnings over the C$100,000 mark with her Champlain score. She is owned by Riverview Racing LLC, Deo Volente Farms LLC, Crawford Farms Racing and Steve Wienick. The Alagna trainee paid $9.80 to win.

Blameitonthenight captured the C$106,066 second division to make it an Alagna sweep of the Champlain Filly Stakes.

Driven by Yannick Gingras, Blameitonthenight came first up in the middle-half to take a narrow lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:24.3. In the stretch, Blameitonthenight had to fight off stablemate Awash to win by a half-length in 1:53.2. Stonebridge Sundae finished third, while Southwind Ion was fourth.

A daughter of Mach Three, Blameitonthenight now has three wins in seven starts to bring her earnings total to more than C$110,000. She is owned by Alagna Racing LLC, Crawford Farms Racing and Donna Ozment. Blameitonthenight paid $17.90 to win.

Grand Circuit week is officially over at Mohawk, but harness racing’s finest will return next Saturday (Sept. 17) for Maple Leaf Trot and Canadian Trotting Classic night.