from WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — While Good Will Hanover came from off the pace, Darlinonthebeach set the pace to capture their respective C$35,000 Fan Hanover eliminations on Saturday night (June 11) at Mohawk Racetrack.

In the first elimination for 3-year-old pacing fillies, Good Will Hanover was able to defeat the heavily favored Pure Country by a neck.

New Image Media photo

Good Will Hanover won the first elimination in a time of 1:50.2.

From post five, driver Chris Christoforou and Good Will Hanover marched to the front after the wings on the gate folded and held command past the quarter pole in :27.2. Mayhem Seelster followed along in second with Bad As Leader sitting third.

Into the backstretch, Pure Country, who was undefeated in 10 starts as a rookie, made a bid for the lead from fourth and cleared at the half in :54.4. When the fillies were in the final turn Mayhem Seelster advanced first-up from third and put pressure on driver Brett Miller and the front-stepping Somebeachsomewhere filly. Past the three-quarter pole in 1:23, Pure Country was able to pull away, but that left Good Will Hanover room to try and retake the lead from the pocket.

In deep stretch, Good Will Hanover was able to overcome Pure Country to capture the victory and stop the clock in 1:50.2. Mayhem Seester finished third.

“That is a nice mare,” said Christoforou about rival Pure Country. “She’s going to take you right to the wire so I had no problem letting him (driver Brett Miller) go and sitting behind that mare. It’s a real good mare so she carried me where I wanted to go and I was fortunate enough to have enough horse left to get there.

“It’s a horse race that’s for sure,” added the reinsman when asked about next week’s final. “But I wouldn’t want to be driving any other one, that’s for sure.”

The daughter of Big Jim and Go For Best notched her seventh lifetime win and third of the season, which also includes trips to the winner’s circle for her SBOA elim and the final. The filly pushed her career earnings to C$281,259 for trainer Dr. Ian Moore and owners BLB Stable. Good Will Hanover paid $8.30 to win.

Darlinonthebeach continued her winning streak in the second elimination with her first victory on Canadian soil for trainer Nancy Johansson.

After a :26.3 contested opening quarter, driver David Miller sent 3-5 favorite Darlinonthebeach from fourth to first and reached the half in :54. The Somebeachsomewhere-Darlin’s Delight filly, who was a runner-up in the She’s A Great Lady last year at Mohawk, began to open up three lengths on top en route to the third quarter mark in 1:21.3 and cruised home to score the one length triumph in 1:50.2 with 7-2 second choice L A Delight (Randy Waples) chasing her home in second from first over. Newborn Sassy (Tim Tetrick) and Lindwood Beachgirl (James MacDonald) closed outside off cover to finish third and fourth, respectively, while Penpal (Pat Lachance) rallied from the back of the pack to earn the last spot in the final.

The top five finishers advance to the C$438,000 Fan Hanover Final, which is set for Saturday (June 18) as part of the C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup undercard.

Here is how the sophomore fillies will line up behind the gate:

1. Lindwood Beachgirl
2. Darlinonthebeach
3. Good Will Hanover
4. Newborn Sassy
5. Penpal
6. L A Delight
7. Pure Country
8. Lay Lady Lay
9. Mayhem Seelster
10. Bad As Leader
AE: Party In Rome

The Roses Are Red eliminations also took place on Saturday night’s card. A group of 23 older pacing mares were split into three C$35,000 eliminations.

Anndrovette, a three-time winner of the Roses Are Red, was able to get up in the final strides to prevail in a win photo over Sandbetweenurtoes. Waasmula finished third to qualify for the final.

The Jeff Bamond Jr. trainee stopped the clock in 1:49.4 with driver Tim Tetrick handling the lines. The elimination victory was the first win for the 9-year-old mare this season and her 45th overall.

In the second split, Lady Shadow made a second quarter move to the lead and never looked back en route to a 1:50.2 victory. Driven by Doug McNair, the 5-year-old picked up her second win in eight outings Saturday. The Ron Adams trainee hit the wire 3-1/4 lengths ahead of Yagonnakissmeornot and Wrangler Magic.

McNair was right back in the winner’s circle in the final elimination with Solar Sister. Trained by Gregg McNair, Solar Sister went gate-to-wire to score a 1:51 victory. The 4-year-old pacing mare finished 1-1/2 lengths ahead of Katie Said and two lengths in front of Ms Mac N Cheese. Solar Sister now has two wins in five starts this season.

Devil Child was the fourth-place finisher drawn by lot to qualify for next Saturday’s C$370,000 final.

Here is the field for the Roses Are Red final.

1. Waasmula
2. Solar Sister
3. Lady Shadow
4. Anndrovette
5. Sandbetweenurtoes
6. Devil Child
7. Ms Mac N Cheese
8. Wrangler Magic
9. Yagonnakissmeornot
10. Katie Said
AE: Empress Deo

— Standardbred Canada also contributed to this report