by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Control The Moment capped off his dominance of the Dream Maker Series with a 1:52.1 victory Monday night (Aug. 3) at Mohawk Racetrack. The Brad Maxwell trainee came into Monday’s C$36,400 final off a pair of easy victories in the preliminary legs and delivered another similar effort for the series sweep.

The scratch of Kokanee Seelster brought the field down to just four 2-year-old pacers for the series finale.

New Image Media photo

Control The Moment won the Dream Maker Series final in 1:52.1.

Control The Moment and driver Randy Waples left from the rail and got away in third, but Waples quickly moved the son of Well Said to the front around the first turn. After an easy quarter of :29, Control The Moment turned up the tempo and posted fractions of :56.3 and 1:24.2 for a middle-half of :55.2.

In the stretch, Control The Moment put the race on ice and paced home comfortably in :27.4 for a 2-1/4 length victory. Mindtrip came from fourth at the top of the lane to finish second, while Derecho and Adrian Hanover rounded out the top four.

Control The Moment is now undefeated in four starts and has banked C$39,020.

“I liked him before I baby raced him, I actually went out to Brad’s (Maxwell) farm and he got me to train him a couple times,” said Waples following the race. “He just gives you the feeling the first time you sit behind him, whether you jog him or train him, you don’t have to go fast. He’s just a very imposing horse.”

A $47,000 yearling purchase at the Lexington Selected Sale last October, Control The Moment is owned by Maxwell, Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold and Ben Mudry.

The clocking of 1:52.1 lowered his career mark by two-fifths of a second. A $2 win ticket on Control The Moment paid $2.20.

Also on Monday evening, the first leg of the Pure Ivory Series was contested for 2-year-old trotting fillies. A field of nine fillies lined up for the C$12,000 first leg of the three-week series.

The Blake MacIntosh trained fillies Rose Run Reanna and Thisladysdynamite were sent off as co-favorites at 9-5.

The two fillies showed the most early speed and Rose Run Reanna grabbed the front just ahead of her stablemate. The two fillies sat one-two through fractions of :29, :59 and 1:29 to lead the field into the lane.

In the stretch, Thisladysdynamite and driver Jody Jamieson came to the outside to try and power by Rose Run Reanna and driver Doug McNair. The fillies went toe-to-toe right to the wire, with Thisladysdynamite getting up late to win. Pennies From Above made a late charge to finish a close third, while Sound Of Music was fourth.

A daughter of Explosive Matter, Thisladysdynamite most recently broke her maiden with a victory at Georgian Downs. The rookie trotting filly now has two wins from five starts and earnings of C$11,620 for owners MacIntosh, Anne Campbell and Stephen Waldman.

Thisladysdynamite was a $20,000 yearling purchase at the Lexington Selected Sale last October. Her 1:59 victory lowered her previous mark by more than a second. The MacIntosh exactor paid $18.90 for a $2 wager, while Thisladysdynamite paid $5.90 to win.

The second leg of the Pure Ivory will take place next Monday (Aug. 3).