from WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Control The Moment, driven by Randy Waples, remained undefeated in his rookie campaign after capturing the C$685,000 Metro Pace for 2-year-olds on Saturday night (Sept. 5) at Mohawk.

The heavily favored Control The Moment notched his seventh straight victory for trainer Brad Maxwell, who shares ownership of the colt with Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold and Ben Mudry.

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Control The Moment was a 1:49.4 winner in the Metro Pace.

Control The Moment got away mid-pack as Voracity and driver Sylvain Filion controlled the early pace by posting a :26 opening panel. Sitting fourth, Betting Line and driver Steve Condren were first to make a move and launch a bid for command. Waples and his charge had the same attack plan and went three-wide around Betting Line to take the lead and post the half in :54.2.

Longshot Ideal Rockey put some first-up pressure on Control The Moment in the final turn but as the leader marched past the three-quarter pole in 1:22.4, he pulled away from the field. Control The Moment was under wraps in deep stretch. The brown colt breezed by the wire with a 2-1/4 length margin of victory and stopped the clock in a new lifetime mark of 1:49.4. Betting Line finished second and Voracity was third.

With the win, Waples captured his first Metro Pace trophy.

“It is definitely a race that seems to avoid me,” said the reinsman. “I thought I had a real good shot with Arthur Blue Chip (in 2013). He won his elimination and then got sick going into the final and he had to be scratched. So that was a big letdown. It seems like it was just a race that I just can’t seem to get there first, but I had a good idea there a few weeks ago, a month ago, that I was going to be sitting pretty good.”

Co-owner Howard Taylor is thrilled with how much Control The Moment has accomplished in such a short time.

“It’s been absolutely incredible,” said Taylor. “It’s been special. When he started racing and won his qualifier, Brad called me up and said, ‘Watch that qualifier — you can get it online.’ He said, ‘That was some kind of qualifier.’ And it was a qualifier. He was the only 2-year-old in the race. Then when he won after his second start he said, ‘This is a special colt, I am telling you.’ He’s the best horse he ever trained, he said.”

The son of Well Said and Lifesliltreasure boosted his lifetime earnings to C$440,687. Control The Moment paid $3.10 to win.

L A Delight captures She’s A Great Lady

After capturing the Metro Pace and Canadian Pacing Derby earlier on Mohawk’s action-packed Saturday card, driver Randy Waples then scored the stakes hat trick with his victory in the C$455,000 She’s A Great Lady for 2-year-old pacing fillies.

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L A Delight gave driver Randy Waples a sweep of the major stakes on Saturday at Mohawk.

The Bob McIntosh-trained L A Delight not only scored her eighth straight victory in nine outings, the 2-year-old pacing miss also helped Waples become the first driver to win all three major stakes in the same year.

L A Delight followed behind Thatsoveryverynice, who clocked the opening panel in :27.3, before taking command at the midway point and posting a :54.3 half. The 3-5 favorite held the lead past the three-quarter pole in 1:23 and then marched her way across the wire in a lifetime mark of 1:51.2. L A Delight posted the 2-3/4 length victory over Darlinonthebeach. Thatsoveryverynice finished third.

“I knew she had the pedigree to be a good filly,” said McIntosh from the winner’s circle. “When she came in she was an ordinary looking filly and training down she was one of those ones that was just very workman-like about her job but did nothing to stand out. I thought I had a couple of fillies better than her even, but they’re back in the barn. But come time to race she just kicked it in and was a total professional.”

The homebred daughter of Bettor’s Delight and West Of L A boosted her lifetime earnings to C$406,145 for owners Robert McIntosh Stables Inc., C S X Stables and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. L A Delight returned $3.30 to win.

“I was talking to Brett Miller as we were pulling up there (after the She’s A Great Lady) and like I said to Brett, these are the days or the nights that you dreamed about when you were a kid jogging horses on the farm,” said Waples. “I like to say I am one of those guys who don’t feel pressure, that I don’t get nervous, but I’d be lying.

“But the thing is that I find once I get on the track then I don’t think about it. But when you are driving to Tim Hortons or drinking your coffee, you’re listening to the radio, yeah, it creeps into your mind. You just don’t want to cost people money and make the wrong moves. Tonight it just really worked out. I had three really great horses to drive, and they all showed up.”

Simcoe Stakes highlights Pacing Derby undercard

The Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old trotters and pacing fillies served as the undercard on Saturday’s Canadian Pacing Derby card at Mohawk.

Canepa Hanover, driven by Hall of Famer John Campbell, overcame being parked out and a battle down the stretch to win the C$113,953 first of two Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters.

The Jimmy Takter-trainee settled into third in the early going and followed behind Goodtimes Trot winner Hemi Seelster, who front-stepped his way past the quarter pole in :28.

Before the half, Canepa Hanover launched a first-over attack, but Hemi Seelster parked out the 1-2 favorite past the midway marker in :57.4 and the three-quarter pole in 1:25.1.

In the lane, the pair battled until Canepa Hanover trotted on by his rival in deep stretch to score by two lengths in 1:53.3. Hemi Seelster finished second and Iron rallied for third.

Canepa Hanover, a $300,000 Harrisburg yearling purchase, notched his fourth career victory. With the lion’s share of the C$113,953 purse, the brown son of Muscle Hill and Cressida Hanover boosted his lifetime earnings to C$282,826 for owners Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, Al Libfeld, Sam Goldband, Brixton Medical Inc. and Christina Takter. Canepa Hanover returned $3 to win.

Campbell returned to the winner’s circle in the C$115,454 second division with Muscle Diamond.

The Brett Bittle trainee got away third and made a move down the backstretch to draw within two lengths of the leader at the half. Muscle Diamond went toe-to-toe with Muscle Up The Goal around the final turn, but held a narrow advantage at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.

In the stretch, Muscle Diamond appeared to be pulling away, but the sophomore’s strides shortened late, as Lookslikeachpndale made a late charge. At the wire, Muscle Diamond held on by a head to win in 1:54.2. Luck O The Irish finished third, while Eternal Quest was fourth.

A son of Muscle Hill, Muscle Diamond now has three wins from five starts this season. A nagging injury slowed down the sophomore early in the season, but the Bittle trainee now has back-to-back stakes victories.

Owned by Bittle, Charles Keller III, Charles Keller IV and Daniel Bittle, Muscle Diamond picked up his fifth career victory Saturday night and increased his career bankroll to more than C$450,000. Muscle Diamond paid $4.20 to win.

A field of 12 3-year-old pacing fillies contested the C$223,193 Simcoe Stakes. Wrangler Magic, the Fan Hanover champion, scored another Grand Circuit victory Saturday in 1:50.3.

Driven by Sylvain Filion, Wrangler Magic flashed early speed to get situated in the two hole, as Invest In Art cut out fractions of :26 and :54. Solar Sister challenged first up, but Invest In Art took no prisoners, pacing by the three-quarter pole in 1:21.3.

In the stretch, several fillies made a bid for the lead, but Wrangler Magic and Filion found room to split horses and prevail by a neck over a closing Delightful Hill. Glamour Seelster finished third, while Invest In Art held on for fourth.

A daughter of Mach Three, Wrangler Magic is trained by Stephane Larocque for owners Thomas Kyron, Dr. Maurice Stewart, Brian Paquet and Bayama Farms. The 3-year-old filly now has three wins from 11 starts this season and five in her career. Wrangler Magic’s bankroll increased to C$670,000 with the triumph. She paid $10.30 to win.

The Grand Circuit action continues next week at Mohawk with more Simcoe and Champlain stakes.