by Greg Gangle – WEG Media

Campbellville, ON — A pair of C$33,641 Canadian Breeders Championship (C.B.C.) eliminations for 3-year-old trotting fillies and a single C$62,895 C.B.C. elimination for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings were contested Friday night at Mohawk with Magic Wheel, China Pearls and Delcrest Julian finding the winner’s circle.

Magic Wheel and driver/trainer Joe Hudon capitalized off of a second-over trip to score the first filly elimination in 1:55.

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Magic Wheel scored a 1:55 victory in the first filly elimnation for driver Joe Hudon.

Peach Martini (Rick Zeron), Extraordinaire (Wayne Henry) and Nordic De Vie (Trevor Ritchie) all left the gate alertly and were looking for position in the early going. Heading past the first turn in :28, Peach Martini was in command with Nordic De Vie parked on the outside with Extraordinaire in the pocket.

Nordic De Vie would take command going towards the half, but Rick Zeron was not content in the two-hole and regained the lead with Peach Martini past the half in :57.

As the sophomore fillies marched into the final turn, Extraordinaire began the first-over attack and Magic Wheel was tracking her. Hudon tipped his charge three-wide as Peach Martini passed three-quarters in 1:26.3.

The talented fillies were inseparable down the stretch, but Peach Martini would begin to tire in deep stretch as Magic Wheel would score a two-length victory.

Peach Martini stayed for second-over Eagle Canada (Chris Christoforou) with Aquanilla (Paul MacDonell) fourth.

Beginning from post 11 wasn’t a concern for Hudon. “I knew I was going to get away good, even with Baillargeon’s filly that was scratched,” he said. ”It’s better than the eight, nine or 10-hole I think.”

The Acton, Ont. resident was confident in his trotting miss as they entered the stretch.

“She was full of trot around the turn and she is kind of like a little bull,” said Hudon. “She grabs on pretty hard and when she says go, we got to go.”

The veteran horseman was hoping for a delightful trip, and he got it.

“I was coming out (of the hole); I didn’t know how strong they were going to be behind me. Sometimes you get locked in fourth and Wayne Henry’s filly (Extraordinaire), she’s a nice filly, so when they came first up, he gave me a good trip.”

With the win, Magic Wheel lifted her earnings of C$159,802 for owners Karen Hudon and Margaret Payne. She paid 17.50 for the win.

In the second filly elimination, China Pearls and Randy Waples survived a first-over attack to stop the timer in a new lifetime best of 1:54.3.

From the start, L A Freeway (Paul MacDonell) brushed to the lead ahead of Marys Out Cruisin (Jody Jamieson) and Summer Of Love (Scott Zeron) to lead past the opening station in :27.3.

The field would remain the same past the mid-way point in :56.4.

Heading into the final turn, China Pearls angled to the outside from fifth and began the first-over attack. Ms Canada Kadabra (Rick Zeron) also moved to the outside to track China Pearls as L A Freeway past three-quarters in 1:26.1.

Down the stretch, L A Freeway was given all she could handle as China Pearls motored on by, but had to deal with the hard-closing Intense America (Sylvain Filion) who exploded from the backfield.

China Pearls would score the win over race-time favorite, Intense America by a nose in a photo finish. Ms Canada Kadabra finished third over Summer Of Love.

After having to come first-over, Waples says he tried to give his filly an easy trip, but it almost backfired on him.

“Sometimes you’re stuck with a hand you don’t want to play,” explained Waples. “She’s kind of lazy and green so it didn’t really bother me too much being first-over. She tracked well and she was doing everything good.

“Down the stretch, I thought I had everything in hand and I was letting her idle then all of a sudden I could hear Sylvain (Filion) coming and I see him out of the corner of my eye. He kind of caught me sleeping, but I am glad she won for Carman and the owners.”

Trained and co-owned by Carman Hie, China Pearls now has career earnings of C$58,502 for owners Blake Anthony, Ted Murrell and Peter Kloepfer.

The bay filly paid $6.50 to win.

The C$156,993 final on July 23 will line up as follows:

1) China Pearls

2) Summer Of Love

3) Eagle Canada

4) Magic Wheel

5) Peach Martini

6) Ms Canada Kadabra

7) Honey Thorn

8) Aquanilla

9) Athletic Lover

10) Intense America

In the solo colts and geldings elimination, Delcrest Julian exploded in deep stretch for driver/trainer Rick Zeron to stop the clock in 1:55.

In the early going, Lakefield (Trevor Ritchie) protected the rail position and rushed to gain control past the opening panel in :28.3 which was cut by Undercover Strike (Roger Mayotte), who left and cleared to the front as the field headed towards the half.

Edit (Chris Christoforou) moved to the outside and was matching strides with Undercover Strike past the :56.4 half, before Undercover Strike made a costly break in stride, which allowed Edit to gain command, with Lakefield in the pocket and Mandinga (Per Henriksen) sitting third.

As Edit past three-quarters in 1:26.2 Lakefield pulled the pocket and pressured the leader.

As the field turned for home, Edit was given all he could handle as the backfield was closing in. Delcrest Julian and Zeron were sitting fourth-over at the top of the stretch, but was gaining with every stride.

With a sixteenth of racetrack remaining, Zeron showed his charge open racetrack and Delcrest Julian scored an open length victory for owner Terry Hunter.

Hunter always believed in his youngster, but had to wait on him.

“We always thought he was going to be a good horse, even as a 2-year-old. We always kept saying that as a 3-year-old he should be good,” he said. “He have been patiently waiting, but I think he’s starting to show his colors.

“It’s a great thrill to own racehorses and end up in the winner’s circle is a great feeling. Tonight I have my son with me, so that’s a big part of it as well.”

A three-time winner, Delcrest Julian now has stashed away $104,587. He paid $37.10 for the win.

The C$146,755 final on July 23 will line up as follows:

1) Daylon Magician

2) Mister Herbie

3) Edit

4) Delcrest Julian

5) Tamarind

6) Mandingo

7) Over And Out

8) Lakefield

9) Mr Joe Sixpack

10) Sim Brown