from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — Reigning Ontario Sires Stakes champion Caprice Hill picked up where she left off last season, capturing the 3-year-old trotting filly Gold Series season opener at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday evening (June 13).

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Randy Waples piloted Caprice Hill to a 1:53.3 win on Monday.

In rein to Randy Waples, fan favorite Caprice Hill took command before the quarter-mile marker and led the field of seven through fractions of :28, :56.2, and 1:25.2 before sailing under the wire a 5-1/2 length victor in 1:53.3. Major Muscle trotted into second, while Celebrity Eventsy finished third in her Ontario Sires Stakes debut.

Tom Hill owns Caprice Hill, who won four of five Gold events as a 2-year-old, including the season ending Super Final. The Kadabra daughter also triumphed in her division of the Champlain Stakes and the elimination and final of the Peaceful Way Stakes, banking $454,263 during her freshman campaign. Through three sophomore starts the Tony Alagna trainee now has two wins and one second for an additional $84,008.

The second $81,900 division saw Kadabra daughter Emoticon Hanover and driver Sylvain Filion waltz home to a 3-3/4 length victory in 1:57 after stealing easy mid-race fractions. The fans’ second choice, Emoticon Hanover bested Tymal Tempest and Dottie, with fan favorite Catch A Mission settling for fourth.

“It turned out to be an easy race for her, which I like,” said Filion. “It’s a long season, so when you can get an easy race like this it’s a bonus.”

Filion engineered the win for trainer Luc Blais and owner Determination. The win was the second in three sophomore starts for Emoticon Hanover, who was a two-time Gold Series winner at two and also captured her Champlain Stakes division on the way to a $168,440 season.

“This year she seems way more handier than last year. Last year she was a little tricky, you know, but this year she’s more mature and she looks a lot stronger,” added Filion. “She didn’t grow much, but she is a lot stronger I think.”

The 3-year-old trotting fillies make their second Gold Series start on July 16 at Mohawk Racetrack.