Ariana G and Thats All Moni take Peaceful Way eliminations
September 9, 2016,by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications
Campbellville, ON — Yannick Gingras and Jimmy Takter swept the eliminations of the Peaceful Way Stakes Thursday night (Sept. 8) at Mohawk Racetrack with Thats All Moni and Ariana G. A group of 17 2-year-old trotting fillies were split into two C$30,000 eliminations for the C$363,000 Peaceful Way Stakes.
Thats All Moni wins her Peaceful Way elimination in 1:54.4.
Thats All Moni got a perfect trip to capture the first elimination in 1:54.4. The Takter trained filly got away fifth in the field of nine and sat in that position until near the midway point. Gingras was able to catch cover with Thats All Moni behind Magic Presto, who was sent first up. Grandmas Moni cut out opening fractions of :28.1 and :58.3, but didn’t have any trot on the final turn and went off stride just after giving up the lead to Magic Presto.
The new leader reached the three-quarter pole in 1:26.3, while Gingras dropped his filly in behind to sit on the leader’s back turning for home. In the stretch, Thats All Moni edged to the outside and rocketed by to defeat Magic Presto by 2-1/4 lengths. Winter Sweet Frost finished third, while Southwind Avanti and Cameron Hill grabbed the final two spots to qualify for next week’s final.
“She felt real strong,” said Gingras post-race about Thats All Moni . “I dropped back in behind (Magic Presto) at the end of the last turn because I could, but my filly was really strong all the way through the stretch.”
The daughter of Cantab Hall is a three-quarter sister to the $1.4 million winning Snow White and was purchased for $230,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Thats All Moni, who paid $3.30 to win, is owned by Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. She now has three wins in six starts and over $121,000 in earnings.
The second elimination featured arguably the top 2-year-old in the sport and she didn’t disappoint. Ariana G crushed her rivals by 7-3/4 lengths in a flashy 1:53.2. The daughter of Muscle Hill and driver Gingras got away third before brushing to the lead at the half in :56.3. Ariana G trotted to the three-quarter pole in 1:25.1 and then pulled away without breaking a sweat for a :28.1 last-quarter and another dominating victory.
New Image Media photos
Ariana G continues to dominate her rivals with another smashing score in her Peaceful Way elimination.
“She’s unbelievable” said Gingras following the victory. “I’ve been really blessed the last three years with trotting fillies. I’ve got three Hambletonian Oaks in a row, but this filly ranks right up there with them.”
Ariana G is a full-sister to Breeders Crown and Hambletonian Oaks champion All The Time and the rookie trotting filly is quickly upstaging her big sister.
“She had a lot more tonight, that’s for sure,” Gingras said. “Turning for home she was really latched onto the bit in a good way. She wasn’t being too grabby or nothing, but she just had a whole awful lot of trot and all the way through the wire I had a handful and I was really impressed.”
Dream Together finished second to Ariana G, while Pure Kemp was third. The final two spots in the Peaceful Way final were secured by Stuck In My Spanks and The Erm.
Ariana G, who paid $2.10 to win, improves to six-for-six with her victory Thursday. The Katz and Libfeld homebred will carry earnings of $295,870 into next week’s rich final.
Following the eliminations, the post positions for the $363,000 Peaceful Way final were drawn. Elimination winners earned their connections the right to select their post for the final.
The Peaceful Way Stakes final will take place on the Maple Leaf Trot and Canadian Trotting Classic card on Saturday (Sept. 17).
1. Stuck In My Spanks
2. Thats All Moni
3. Pure Kemp
4. Ariana G
5. Cameron Hill
6. Southwind Avanti
7. Winter Sweet Frost
8. The Erm
9. Dream Together
10. Magic Presto
AE: Glitzey Gal
- Grandma’s Moni is back on track heading into Peaceful Way (Wednesday, September 07, 2016)
To paraphrase the poet Robert Burns, the best laid plans of mice and horse trainers often go awry. Frank Antonacci had mapped out a schedule for 2-year-old female trotter Grandma’s Moni, but the filly got sick after winning her debut in a sharp 1:55.2 at the Meadowlands Racetrack and the trainer was forced to abandon his early-season plans. She missed two races, but Grandma’s Moni is back on track for Thursday’s (Sept. 8) eliminations for the Peaceful Way Stakes at Mohawk.
- Top fillies to meet in Elegantimage elimination Friday (Wednesday, September 07, 2016)
After each winning consecutive Grand Circuit events, Caprice Hill and Emoticon Hanover will meet up in one of two Elegantimage eliminations Friday night (Sept. 9) at Mohawk Racetrack.
- Nahar settled in and ready for Maple Leaf Trot elimination (Thursday, September 08, 2016)
While his owners are preparing for the World Cup of Hockey, Nahar has been preparing for the Maple Leaf Trot and getting used to his new surroundings.
- Alagna armada descends on Simcoe (Friday, September 09, 2016)
Tony Alagna sends out three of the ten pacers competing in the C$204,040 Simcoe for three-year-old pacers on Saturday evening (Sept. 10) at Mohawk Racetrack. Voracity, American Passport, and Tom Hill will all challenge and neighbor the 4-5 morning line favorite Betting Line, starting from posts seven, eight, nine, and 10 respectively.
- Strong efforts in Elegantimage and Wellwood elims (Friday, September 09, 2016)
Elimination weekend continued Friday (Sept. 9) at Mohawk Racetrack with the qualifiers for the Elegantimage and William Wellwood Memorial. Each event required two eliminations with 14 rookie trotters competing in the Wellwood and 16 3-year-old trotting fillies battling in the Elegantimage.
- C$2.6 million Maple Leaf Trot and Canadian Trotting Classic card set (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)
All eyes will be on harness racing’s finest trotters Saturday evening (Sept. 17) at Mohawk Racetrack for Maple Leaf Trot and Canadian Trotting Classic night. An outstanding card featuring the best trotters of all ages has been assembled with more than C$2.6 million in purse money on the line.
- Magic Presto evokes memories of Bee A Magician in pursuit of Peaceful Way title (Thursday, September 15, 2016)
Everyone in this business longs for that horse; the one that is a world champion, a Horse of the Year and charts the course of history so their name is forever distinguished, remembered and revered. Although Magic Presto has only just begun her career, the inspiration behind her purchase was the premonition that lightning may be captured in a bottle, not once, but twice and that she could follow in the hoofprints of another filly that first served notice of her superiority with a victory in the 2012 Peaceful Way — Bee A Magician.