by Mark McKelvie – WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Tony Alagna trainee Artspeak turned in a career-best performance of 1:48.2 to win the Simcoe Stakes Saturday (Sept. 12) night at Mohawk Racetrack.

A field of nine 3-year-old pacers squared off in the C$224,907 Simcoe Stakes.

New Image Media photo

Artspeak turned in a career best 1:48.2 mile in the Simcoe Stakes on Saturday night at Mohawk Raceway.

Casie Coleman trainee Reverend Hanover was sent off as the heavy 3-5 favorite off a pair of impressive victories leading up to Saturday’s contest.

The public’s choice got away third, as Go Daddy Go blasted to the front and posted an opening-quarter of :26.1. Artpseak, the 7-5 second choice, dropped in fourth for driver Scott Zeron.

Reverend Hanover made a second-quarter move to the lead for driver Steve Condren and posted a speedy half of :53.2.

Around the final turn, Artspeak was given his cue to move from Zeron and came first-up to draw within a length and a quarter of Revenred Hanvoer at the three-quarter pole in 1:21.1.

In the stretch, Artspeak quickly erased Reverend Hanover’s lead and paced by the leader with powerful strides to score an impressive 2-1/4 length victory in a Stakes Record time of 1:48.2. Reverend Hanover held on to finish second, while Split The House and The Wayfaring Man finished third and fourth, respectively.

Artspeak, who was last year’s 2-year-old champion, came into Saturday night with three victories from 11 starts on the season, but most recently turned in a strong 1:50.1 qualifying mile at Mohawk on September 4.

“I felt in the post parade that he was back to the way he started this year,” said Zeron following the race. “He was aggressive and Tony did a great job prepping him for this race.

“He had a couple weeks off and he qualified her in (1):50 and when I was racing here full-time that was a big mile qualifying.”

The son of Western Ideal came first-up to score the victory Saturday and Zeron was very impressed with the effort.

“I knew he was ready to rock tonight, doing a first-up trip like that, that was steep and to finish the way he did, it was amazing.”

Artspeak is owned by Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, Joe Sbrocco and In The Gym Partners. The 3-year-old colt now has four wins and over C$500,000 earned this season.

A $100,000 yearling purchase at the Lexington Selected Sale, Artspeak’s career totals currently sit at 12 wins and over C$1.3 million in earnings.

The Alagna trainee returned $4.80 to win.

L A Delight makes it nine straight in Champlain

L A Delight continued her dominance in the Champlain Filly Stakes Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.

Just a single division was needed for the Champlain Filly Stakes, as a field of nine competed for a rich purse of C$241,380.

One week after capturing the Shes A Great Lady Stakes, L A Delight returned to Mohawk and put on another impressive display.

L A Delight, the 1-9 favorite, was sent to the front by driver Randy Waples and touched down on the lead at the opening-quarter in :26.4. It was game over from there, as the Bob McIntosh trainee cruised through fractions of :55.2 and 1:24, before waving goodbye to her rivals and drawing off for a 4-1/2 length victory in 1:52.1.

“She’s just getting more professional every week,” said McIntosh following the race. “I just feel lucky to have her and when you breed these things and they turn out like this, it’s just extra special.”

A daughter of Bettors Delight, L A Delight has now won nine consecutive starts after dropping her career debut. She is owned and bred by Robert McIntosh Stables Inc., C S X Stables and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc.

Good Will Hanover finished second, while Ivy League was third.

L A Delight has now banked over C$500,000 this season and a $2 win ticket Saturday night on the star filly returned $2.30.

Following the race, McIntosh confirmed that L A Delight will race in an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold leg before finishing her season in the Super Final.

The OSS Super Finals will take place on Saturday, October 10 at Woodbine Racetrack.

Ontario sired colts take Champlain divisions

Betting Line and Nvestment Bluechip scored victories in the Champlain Stakes for 2-year-old pacers Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.

Over C$100,000 was on the line in each division, as 16 rookie pacing colts and geldings competed.

Control The Moment, this year’s Metro Pace champion, was supposed to headline the C$117,407 first division Saturday, but the Brad Maxwell trainee was a late scratch due to sickness.

Casie Coleman trainee Betting Line, who finished second to Control The Moment in the Metro, took full advantage of the scratch to the favorite.

Driven by Steve Condren, Betting Line was able to drop in fifth in the early stages, as the lead changed hands several times through opening fractions of :26.3 and :55.2.

Around the final turn, Betting Line came to the outside for Condren and tried to catch the cover of Racing Hill, but the Coleman trainee struggled to keep up and sat lengths off the leader Nocturnal Bluechip turning for home

In the stretch, Nocturnal Bluechip and Racing Hill went toe-to-toe and it appeared the race would come down to the pair, but Betting Line was able to straighten things out and charge by the leaders with a wicked rush late to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:52.

Nocturnal Bluechip finished second, while Inspiration View got through late to grab third from Racing Hill.

A son of Bettors Delight, Betting Line has now won five of eight starts for earnings of over C$325,000. Following the race, Coleman noted that her trainee was on the right line and will be visiting the vet Monday to address an issue.

Betting Line has found success on the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit this season and that is where Coleman has him aimed for next.

“There’s a Gold here (Mohawk) the next Tuesday (September 22) and if he’s ready I’ll probably take him there,” said Coleman. “I’ll probably skip Flamboro and then the Super Finals and he’s also in the Breeders Crown.”

Betting Line is owned by West Wins Stable, Christine Calhoun and Mac Nichol. The son of Bettors Delight paid $3 to win.

Jody Jamieson worked out a perfect trip to allow Nvestment Bluechip to capture the C$115,906 second division.

A son of Shadow Play, Nvestment Bluechip charged out to the front and took the field by the opening-panel in :27. Voracity, the 3-5 favorite, made a second-quarter brush from fourth to take command at the half in :56.

Voracity turned up the tempo in the third-quarter in :27.4, as Kokanee Seelster pressed at him first-over.

In the stretch, Voracity tried to pace away to victory, but Jamieson brought Nvestment Bluechip off his back and the son of Shadow Play paced on by for the victory in 1:52.1.

New Talent made a late rush to finish a length and a half back in second, while Sossys King Kong finished third ahead of Voracity.

Nvestment Bluechip is trained by Dave Menary and the conditioner said things went exactly as planned Saturday night.

“It kind of went like I thought it was going to go,” said Menary. “The colt had a really good week and I’ve always been pretty high on the colt and tonight we got paid for it.”

Menary Racing Inc., Michael Guerriero, Denis Breton and Thomas Kyron share ownership of Nvestment Bluchip, who now has three wins from seven starts this season. The rookie pacing colt has banked over C$160,000 for his connections.

Nvestment Bluechip paid $8.20 to win.