by Greg Blanchard, WEG media

Campbellville, ON — Many of North America’s best trotters and pacers will assemble at Mohawk Racetrack this Saturday night (September 4) as the Campbellville oval plays host to one of the biggest programs of the season which includes the C$1 million Metro Pace, C$688,000 She’s A Great Lady Stakes and the C$780,000 Canadian Pacing Derby.

The Metro final was established after a quartet of eliminations were held this past Saturday night. The fastest winner was local colt Prodigal Seelster who stopped the clock in 1:50 for driver Tim Tetrick.

The son of Camluck, who captured this year’s C$300,000 Battle of Waterloo, has won four of six starts this season for trainer Dave Menary whose father Larry co-owns along with Denis Breton, Kenneth Ewen and the Double Or Nothing Stables. His connections chose post three on Saturday.

One of the fan favorites will be Big Jim who captured his split for driver Phil Hudon in 1:50.2. The namesake of his owner, James Carr, the son of Western Ideal is three-for-five this year and starts from post four this weekend.

The other elimination winners, Great Vintage and Wind Me Up, will start from posts one and two, respectively, in the lucrative final.

Pretty Katherine equaled the world record for 2-year-old fillies when she captured the fastest She’s A Great Lady elimination last Saturday for driver Mark MacDonald in 1:50.3.

The daughter of Rocknroll Hanover is undefeated in four starts during her freshman campaign. She will be the definitive headliner and is one of three fillies in the final for trainer Casie Coleman who also sends out Ohmygosh Hanover in the Metro final. Coleman elected to go with post three this weekend.

Hypnotic Blue Chip notched his sixth win of the season in capturing the single Canadian Pacing Derby elimination this past weekend for driver Jody Jamieson in 1:48.3. The 4-year-old son of Art Major could have taken a bye straight to the final but trainer Kevin McDermott opted to race him instead for the chance to choose his post in the final.

Hypnotic Blue Chip will start from post two on Saturday in a field that also includes defending champion Shark Gesture and this year’s Molson Pace champion Won The West.

There will be plenty of other things happening on Saturday night at Mohawk with the doors open to fans at 5:30 p.m.

A beginner betting seminar will take place at 6 p.m. where fans will receive a free race program and $2 loaded cash card to make a wager on the program. There will also be a draw for four $50 HPI account deposits.

Mohawk will also be hosting an extreme handicapping contest championship challenge with upwards of $7,500 in prize money to be won. Customers have up until 9 p.m. on Saturday night to register and can pre-register at the Mohawk Gift Store and Woodbine player services desk.

A $75,000 guaranteed pool for the early Pick-4 and several second-chance draws throughout the evening will also be part of Saturday night’s festivities.

For those who can’t make it to the track on Saturday, The Score will carry special coverage of both the Metro and Canadian Pacing Derby during a two-hour special from 9–11 p.m. (EDT).

First post for Saturday night’s program from Mohawk is 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.mohawkracetrack.com.