by Mark McKelvie, for WEG Communicatons

Campbellville, ON — In less than a month, Lost In Time went from winning at an Ohio fair to capturing the C$816,000 Metro Pace at Mohawk Racetrack. The Jim Mulinix trained son of A Rocknroll Dance came through with a huge performance to defeat nine other 2-year-old pacers in harness racing’s richest race for rookies on Saturday evening (Sept. 23).

Driven by Scott Zeron, Lost In Time shot out from post five and got away second to a fired up Hayden Hanover, who posted a :27.1 opening quarter. Just as the field paced by the firstquarter marker, Zeron circled around to the lead.

Lost In Time captures Saturday’s Metro Pace in 1:50.1.

Lost In Time’s lead was brief, as Doug McNair sent Stay Hungry from fourth to first well before the half. Stay Hungry posted a :55 opening half and carried the lead around the far turn. St Lads Neptune started a first-over bid at the half, which supplied cover for Twin B Tuffenuff and race favorite Pedro Hanover. Lost In Time sat patient in the two-hole, while Stay Hungry paced by three-quarters in 1:22.4.

In the stretch, Lost In Time was angled out of the pocket and immediately surged by Stay Hungry and onto a 1:50.1 victory. Hayden Hanover found racing room late and came charging through for second, three-quarters of a length short to Lost In Time. Pedro Hanover fired from third-over to finish third, while Twin B Tuffenuff finished fourth.

“I knew last week heading into this week how great he was and if I got anywhere near the same effort we were going to be in good shape,” said Zeron about Lost In Time. “I wanted to control the pace, at worst sit in the two-hole and it kind of ended up that way and the two-hole trip worked out good.”

Owned by Mulinix, Denny Miller and William Rufenacht, Lost In Time was a $47,000 purchase at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. The bay pacing colt, who finished second in his elimination, was making just his fourth career start on Saturday.

“Well I’m old fashioned, I like to have them ready before I race,” said Mulinix. “When you just have one you can’t afford to take a chance and hurt them, so I just took my time and let them beat each other for a while and then we stepped in.”

Lost In Time’s only victory prior to the Metro was a 2:03.4 score in a $750 race at the Hicksville, Ohio fair on Aug. 25. The fair start was also the first charted line for the rookie, who then qualified at Hoosier Park before finishing second in a Kentucky Sires Stakes event prior to the Metro.

New Image Media photos

Youaremycandygirl upsets the She’s A Great Lady at 40-1.

Saturday’s victory is extra special for Mulinix, as he finished second in the 2011 Metro Pace with Lost In Time’s sire, A Rocknroll Dance.

“That makes up for ‘Rock’,” said Mulinix. “With ‘Rock’ I didn’t have the experience then and he (gave) me the experience to do it with this horse. I had never raced at this level much in my life, but this was really exciting.

“I bought this horse just to show them that ‘Rock’ could do it and it worked out and I’m really thankful and actually quite humbled by the whole thing.”

Winning-driver Zeron is now a two-time Metro champion, as he piloted Artspeak to victory in the 2014 edition.

Lost In Time is now two-for-four with C$425,875 earned for his connections.

A $2 win ticket on Lost In Time returned $8.20. The $2 exacta with Hayden Hanover paid $184.20, while the $1 trifecta including Pedro Hanover returned $368.30. The $1 superfecta with Twin B Tuffenuff on the bottom paid $2,772.55.

Youaremycandygirl went to the front and never looked back en route to a 40-1 stunner in the C$500,000 Shes A Great Lady Stakes. The Ron Burke trained filly bested seven other 2-year-old pacing fillies in a sizzling 1:50.4.

Driver Louis Philippe Roy opted to blast the daughter of American Ideal out from post-eight and secured the front through a :26.4 opening quarter. Kendall Seelster, the 4-5 favorite, left from the rail and got the two-hole trip.

Youaremycandygirl rolled along through fractions of :55 and 1:23 to lead by 1-1/2 lengths turning for home. The outer-flow developed at the half, but didn’t advance right away, which stalled star filly Percy Blue Chip at the back.

In the stretch, Youaremycandygirl showed plenty of determination and stormed home in :27.4 to score by 1-1/4 lengths over Kendall Seelster. Come See The Show finished third, while Percy Blue Chip came from last to finish fourth.

“Going into the last turn she did the same as the first turn and put in some bad steps and I couldn’t let her go that much,” said Roy following the race. “I had a lot of horse in the last turn and I said if I can just get her to go around the last turn she’ll be hard to beat.

“Behind the gate I was planning to race her from behind, but I changed my mind pretty quick because no one was leaving inside of me.”

Owned by W. Donovan, Youaremycandygirl did not enter Saturday’s contest with the record of a 40-1 shot. The Burke trainee was three-for-five competing in New York Sires Stakes events.

A $150,000 Standardbred Horse Sale yearling purchase, Youaremycandygirl earnings soared to C$331,545 following her victory Saturday.

The combination of Roy and Burke has found success this season at Mohawk and the reinsman is grateful for the opportunity he’s received from the sport’s leading trainer.

“I’m really thankful to him. I don’t even know if I’ve ever talked to him, but he puts a lot of confidence in me and I really appreciate it. The whole team, his brother too, I really appreciate it.”

A $2 win ticket on Youaremycandygirl returned $82.70, $17.10 and $6.30. The $2 exacta with Kendall Seelster ($2.90, $2.40) paid $178.00, while the $1 trifecta including Come See The Show ($3.80) paid $510.80. The $1 superfecta with Percy Blue Chip returned $1,582.05.