by Ashley Mayotte, WEG communications

Campbellville, ON — Freshman trotters will be in the spotlight this week at Mohawk Racetrack as eliminations will be held in the Peaceful Way for the fillies and the William Wellwood Memorial for the colts.

Driver Randy Waples will steer two freshman trotting fillies in Thursday’s (September 8) C$30,000 Peaceful Way eliminations at Mohawk Racetrack in hopes they both advance to the C$447,000 final on Saturday (September 17).

New Image Media photo

Witch Way has banked $166,736 in her career, with four trips to the winner’s circle.

From post position two, Waples will first drive Witch Way for trainer Joseph Macisaac in the first race.

The daughter of Ken Warkentin-Chelemark Gizmo, who is owned by Douglas Millard and Carolyn Williston, has four wins in six lifetime starts and $166,736 in career earnings.

Her biggest victory was an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final at Grand River on July 4. Also, the bay captured last Thursday’s Champlain Stakes division at Mohawk, which is a win Waples believes has prepared her for this week’s elimination.

“She should come out of her last start really good because she needed that start. She had a month off,” he said. “She won the Champlain, she seemed good. It will be an interesting step up against U.S. bred fillies.”

Waples admires Witch Way’s determination and gait, but feels one of her biggest battles is upon her.

“When (the U.S. fillies) come up, they are bred a little different,” explained the Milton resident. “The fillies are usually a little better quality and they usually are the toughest ones, so we’ll have to see.”

Its All Magic will leave from post position five in the fourth race, which is the third and final elimination. The daughter of Kadabra-All Time Favorite has two wins and one third-place finish in five lifetime starts and has banked $36,397 in career earnings for trainer Philip Coole, who also owns a piece of the bay with Donald Leschied.

“She is a filly that is just starting to come into her own,” said Waples. “She maybe hasn’t shown quite as much as Witch Way has just yet, but she will follow all day so she should be OK if she gets the right kind of trip.”

The veteran driver feels her best quality is her power.

“She is pretty big and solid,” Waples noted. “She has got a lot of go to her.”

On Friday, 2-year-old trotters will contest a trio of C$30,000 William Wellwood Memorial eliminations with the John Kopas trainee The Game Plan headlining the sixth race.

The son of Kadabra-Image Control has found the winner’s circle four times in his debut season, with one second and one third-place finish in seven starts with $153,277 in career earnings. The bay leads the Ontario Sires Stakes standings for freshman trotters with 187 Gold points and sits atop the standings with the highest OSS money earnings in his division with C$142,300.

The conditioner owns a piece of the trotter with Gary Grieve, LLK Stable and Anthony Wagner.

Regular pilot Jack Moiseyev will be in the sulky when The Game Plan leaves from post position one in hopes of making it to the C$469,000 final, which will also be contested on September 17.

The top three finishers, with one fourth place finisher, drawn by lot, will advance to their respective finals, both of which are slated as an undercard on Canadian Trotting Classic final night. The elimination winners may choose their post positions for the final.

Thursday’s Peaceful Way eliminations:

First elimination (Race 1)
PP-Horse-Listed Driver
1. Flower Bouquet-J. Moiseyev
2. Witch Way-R. Waples
3. Ticket To Broadway-T. Ritchie
4. Superstar Hanover-J. Takter
5. Princess Fortune-A. MacDonald
6. Adreamcomestrue As-T. Tetrick
7. Muscles Soul-Y. Gauthier

Second elimination (Race 2)
PP-Horse-Listed Driver
1. Miss Majestic-S. Filion
2. Check Me Out-T. Tetrick
3. Dream On Hanover-B. Miller
4. Bavarde-S. Zeron
5. Win Missy B-T. Ritchie
6. Talbotcreek Jewely-S. Coulter
7. Garbo Blue Chip-R. Zeron

Third elimination (Race 4)
PP-Horse-Listed Driver
1. Lady Andi-J. Jamieson
2. Xquisite Chocolate-T. Ritchie
3. Aunt Mel-T. Tetrick
4. Chilitodayhotamale-B. Sears
5. Its All Magic-R. Waples
6 Love Walked In-A. Miller
7. Miss Paris-S. Zeron

Friday’s William Wellwood Memorial eliminations:

First elimination (Race 3)
PP-Horse-Listed Driver
1. Lindys Jersey Boy-T. Tetrick
2. Littlejack Hanover-T. Durand
3. Power Play-A. Miller
4. Weingartner-J. Takter
5. Melt In Your Mouth-J. Jamieson
6. Little Brown Fox-R. Pierce
7. Mr Chicago-Y. Gingras

Second elimination (Race 6)
PP-Horse-Listed Driver
1. The Game Plan-J. Moiseyev
2. Leave Your Mark-T. Ritchie
3. Mr Ridgetaker-T. Ritchie
4. Guccio-M. Johansson
5. Money On My Mind-A. Miller
6. No Less Than Magic-S. Zeron
7. Nothing But Class-J. Takter

Third elimination (Race 9)
PP-Horse-Listed Driver
1. Here’s The Magic-S. Zeron
2. American Gangster-B. Sears
3. Prestidigitator-S. Filion
4. Appomattox-L. Ouellette
5. Uncle Peter-R. Pierce
6. Yankee Royalty-R. Zeron
7. Possess The Will-T. Tetrick