by Keith McCalmont, for WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Kendall Seelster, the distant 9-1 second choice, used a perfect pocket trip to upset the previously undefeated Percy Bluechip in Saturday night’s (Sept. 2) C$169,831 Champlain Stakes for rookie filly pacers, at Mohawk Racetrack. While Stay Hungry and Dragon Time followed suit with strong victories of their own in the two male divisions.

Trained by Paul Reid and piloted by Randy Waples, Kendall Seelster arrived at the Champlain from a runner-up effort to Percy Bluechip in the Eternal Camnation but the filly turned the tables on her heavily-backed rival (1-5).

Kendall Seelster upsets Percy Bluechip in a stakes record 1:51.1 in the Champlain Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack.

Kendall Seelster showed speed off the gate but it was Percy Bluechip (Trevor Henry) who would demand the lead through an opening-quarter of :26.2 with Waples content to sit the trip with Pueblo Blue Chip and Kissin In The Sand following their early foot.

Percy Bluechip and Kendall Seelster separated from the field down the back straight marking the half in :55.3 as Big Thong made a first-over attempt but flattened as the field straightened for home.

Percy Bluechip maintained a precarious lead at the top of the lane but there was no denying Kendall Seelster who angled out and powered to a four-length score in a Champlain record time of 1:51.1. Percy Bluechip finished second, while Pueblo Blue Chip was third.

Waples was pleased with the determined effort from his filly to finally take down Percy Bluechip in her fifth attempt.

“I seem to draw her every week (Percy Bluechip) and I always seem to get away close to her or on her back,” said Waples. “I can never beat her and sometimes I don’t get out to get the chance. The first couple times I raced against her, even if I got out there was no beating her.”

Waples believes the previously frustrated trips may have been to their advantage on this night.

“My filly is really fresh right now because she hasn’t been getting out,” said Waples. “Tonight things worked out and she got out and raced really well. Take nothing away from that other mare, she’s about as good a 2-year-old filly as I’ve seen in a long time.”

The bay daughter of Shadow Play-Kiddie Cocktail is now a two-time winner for owner 1187422 Ontario Inc. from seven starts and Waples is looking forward to a bright future.

“It will be interesting to see how much better she can get,” said Waples. “She doesn’t necessarily have to leave out of there, she does have great gate speed, but she races quite well the other way too. It will be interesting to see when she gets the right kind of trip just who she can beat.”

Bred in Ontario by Seelster Farms Inc., Kendall Seelster was purchased for C$47,000 at the Forest City Yearling Sale. She paid $21.80 to win.

Stay Hungry and Dragon Time win their respective Champlain divisions

Stay Hungry, with Doug McNair at the controls for trainer Tony Alagna, maintained his healthy appetite for winning with a romping score in Saturday’s first C$97,880 Champlain Stakes division for freshman pacers, at Mohawk.

The Somebeachsomewhere-My Little Dragon colt, a $150,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase for owner Brad Grant, was an impressive winner on debut last week and passed a serious class test on Saturday with a first-up score in 1:52.1.

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Stay Hungry paces impressively to a strong score in his Champlain Stakes division.

Evening Play made the early pace through splits of :13.1 and :27.3 with Trump That, Odds On Lauderdale and Stay Hungry chasing. Odds On Lauderdale (Scott Zeron) swept to the front to mark the half in :56.3 as Stay Hungry waited patiently for McNair to push the button on the first-up trip.

Stay Hungry, once asked, paced menacingly to the wire with Im A Big Deal and Phil The Thrill followed his cover, while Odds On Lauderdale faded after setting the pace. McNair and Stay Hungry gobbled up ground with ease down the lane and were never threatened for an impressive first stakes score. Trump That edged Torrin Hanover for place.

Stay Hungry, the third foal of three-time Breeders Crown winner My Little Dragon, has lived up to all expectations thus far including winning both qualifying efforts.

“They’ve been high on this horse all winter long,” said McNair. “I trained him a few times before I qualified him and he showed tonight that he’s a pretty serious horse.”

Could a shot at the Metro Pace be next for Stay Hungry?

“I hope so. He beat some pretty nice colts tonight so he’ll move forward,” said McNair.

Stay Hungry paid $3.80 to win.

Dragon Time was full of pace down the lane drawing clear to a comfortable score in the second division of the C$96,880 Champlain.

The Menary stable student followed Hudson Phil through comfortable splits of :13.4 and :28.2 from a patient steer by Yannick Gingras. Simple Kinda Man (Trevor Henry) made a first-up move with Courtly Choice and Babes Dig Me following his cover, but a determined Dragon Time was game down the lane finding his best pace late to easily overtake Hudson Phil for the win.

The victory, which came just two races after Menary won the Canadian Pacing Derby with Sintra, didn’t come as a surprise to Menary.

“I knew from the get go he was going to improve. He’s a Bettors Delight out of a Dragon Again mare. He has a lot of pedigree but sometimes that breed takes a little longer to come,” said Menary.

Dragon Time finished fourth last time out in the Nassagaweya after holding the lead briefly at the top of the lane.

“Last week, first-up was not his ideal trip and he raced really tough,” said Menary. “This week he had some cover and he dug all the way to the wire. Yannick gave him a really good trip.”

Dragon Time, who stopped the clock in 1:52, paid $9.40 to win.