by Nick Salvi, executive director, The Classic Series

Nichols, NY — Leg number three of The Classic Series (TCS) will be raced this Saturday (June 9) over the seven-eighths-mile strip at Mohawk Racetrack. Each of the four divisions will showcase the finest older horses currently in action.

The Classic Oaks (race five) fields 11 terrific trotting mares in one of the deepest events of this or any season. Division stalwarts Mystical Sunshine (last year’s Oaks Final and Breeders Crown champ) and Peaceful Way (winner of the 2006 Maple Leaf Trot and the Dan Patch award for this group) will face the cream of last season’s sophomore class.

Passionate Glide graduated with honors, earning over $1 million and winning everything but the Breeders Crown last year and she made her presence felt against her elders with her first win of the new season in the $133,000 Conway Hall at Vernon Downs on Memorial Day. Susie’s Magic did win the 3-year-old Breeders Crown last year and was a winner in The Meadowlands leg of the Oaks. Buck I St Pat is two-for-two in the Classic Oaks this year and Queen Serene may never be discounted.

The Trotting Classic (race nine) will be the stage for the return of Vivid Photo, winner of the 2006 Final, after a few months away from the wars. He has been prepping in Tioga Downs qualifiers, equaling the overall track record of 1:54.4 in each of his last two appearances there.

Sand Vic makes his TCS seasonal debut off a convincing win in the Cutler and Man About Town will try the stars of the division after impressing versus weaker.

The Pacing Classic (race 11) features Lis Mara, who looked like he was scoring down while taking an effortless 1:49.3 measure of the best open class horses in Canada last Saturday.

Facing the tough task of tackling the division’s Goliath will be a solid group led by New Hampshire Sweepstakes winner Shark Gesture, double defending Pacing Classic champ Boulder Creek and 2006 Meadowlands Pace winner Artistic Fella. This one shapes up like a drag race.

The Classic Distaff (race 12) fields seven including Darlin’s Delight, who has been nothing short of sensational in her 2007 starts. She paced to a new personal record of 1:49.1 after coming a long way uncovered in last week’s Lady Liberty. 2006 Distaff Final winner Marnie Hall is the main threat here in a strong field.

First post at Mohawk is 7:40 p.m. Don’t miss this one!