by Jeff Renton, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group
Campbellville, ON — A pair of Champlain divisional winners kept right on rolling Tuesday night, as a pair of C$25,000 Oakville eliminations were captured by Strong Tea and Solveig over the seven-eighths-mile Mohawk strip.
![](http://ustrottingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/5384-040915mhTea.jpg)
Woodbine Entertainment Photo
Strong Tea (Trevor Ritchie) captured the first Oakville elimination on Tuesday.
After a first-over move in the second quarter, Strong Tea ($3.90, $3.00, $2.80) cleared after the half and trotted to a four and three-quarter length victory in a mark-equaling 1:584 during the first elimination.
Driver Trevor Ritchie tipped Strong Tea out from fourth after the :292 quarter pole and cleared after the 1:002 half-mile marker. From there, the daughter of Muscles Yankee–China Tea passed the three-quarter pole in 1:301 and opened up lengths in the lane for the win.
At an even 100-1, Elena ($41.70, $15.50) and driver Paul MacDonell finished second, while Meadowviewprincess ($16.20) -– a 60-1 shot -– finished five lengths back in third for driver Pat Lachance.
The longshots helped produce a $133.80 exactor and a $847.30 triactor.
“She is really low maintenance and has never been sick or lame,” said Strong Tea’s conditioner Doug McIntosh. “We don’t train her hard; she takes good care of herself.
“We bought her for her bloodline. She wasn’t an expensive filly and she has turned out to be my best one. All winter she trained the best.”
Strong Tea has now banked $65,731 and accumulated a record of 4-1-0 from five starts for her owner, the Ivey Pharm Stable of Cincinnati, Ohio.
![](http://ustrottingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/5384-040915mhSolveig.jpg)
Woodbine Entertainment Photo
Jimmy Takter piloted Solveig to the winner’s circle in the second Oakville elimination.
With his conditioner Jimmy Takter at his lines, Solveig ($2.70, $2.30, $2.10) scored by one and a quarter lengths in the second elimination, stopping the clock in 1:573. Chris Christoforou and Honour Way ($5.50, $3.20) finished second. With Randy Waples at the helm, World Class Image ($5.40) also finished one and a quarter lengths back in third.
The exactor and triactor were $10.10 and $98.20 respectively.
Solveig, a daughter of Yankee Glide–Exquisite Amanda, had to earn her third win in a row though, as Real Live Woman and driver Paul MacDonell parked the bay from the three-eighths pole onward.
The quarter pole was reached in :284 and Takter had Solveig out and gunning shortly after from fourth. On the outside as the middle panels were put up in :59 and 1:28, Solveig wore down Real Live Woman in the lane and promptly fended off her other rivals.
Owned by Christina Takter (New Jersey), John Fielding (Ontario) and the Anderberg Stable (Sweden), Solveig now has $86,026 in earnings after four starts.
CR Mimosa, Caledonia, Up Front Lisa and Fan Favourite also gained entrance into next Monday’s C$553,400 (estimated) final.
Miss Michelle H is a model of consistency
If you are looking for a model of consistency this season, look no further than the three-year-old filly trotter Miss Michelle H.
Slated as the 6-5 favourite in her elimination of the S.B.O.A. Stakes set for this Thursday at Mohawk, the Rod Allen pupil has only missed the board once in 13 starts this season and only twice in her 21-race career.
“She’s been really consistent this year, it just always seems like there is one out there that will give her a rough time,” said Allen, who will drive the King Conch–Hornby Michelle miss in Thursday’s third contest (8:18 p.m.)
“Earlier it was Kevin Wallis’ filly, then McCall Magic popped up and now (Dave) Tingley brought his filly (Peaceful Way) back in. I can’t complain because she’s only missed the board twice in her life; that was in her first lifetime start and then of course in the final of the Elegantimage she got kind of a rough trip.
“She looks like she is going to make it right through until the end of the year and doesn’t seem to be tiring much. She enjoys the racing; she gets all stirred up warming up and it still seems that she is interested.”
Having shown a knack for the front, Miss Michelle H has put together a 6-3-3 record this campaign and has banked $186,583 for owners Joann Thomson (Massachussetts), Joe Thomson (Pennsylvania) and the Carl And Rod Allen Stable (Florida).
“She seems to race better up front; she seems to swell up a little more,” said Allen. “She likes the front-end and that type of action. I haven’t raced her from off the pace, but depending on draws I may have to race her that way sometime. If I double her up too much, or like last week I was sitting in the pocket and we were in the last turn and things were getting a little jammed up and it was a little tight on her. I did shut her air off a little bit and she didn’t finish like I would have liked her to.”
Having drawn the six hole in the seven horse field, Miss Michelle H will start beside the 3-1 morning line second choice (post five, Ifhallscouldtalk, Trevor Ritchie), while the 9-2 third choice, Armbro Beseech, will start from post three with driver Dave Boughton calling the shots.
“The only thing that I am disappointed in is that I didn’t stake her heavily enough,” said Allen, of the only down side he has had this year with the filly. “I didn’t stake her to anything down in the States. I would have liked to have gone down to the Hambletonian because I know the track surface down there is maybe a little faster and I just felt that she was competitive at that time of the year to go with those fillies. Now, I may have paid for it if I would have went down there with the travelling and the change of tracks and then she may not have raced so well up here (after). But you kind of like to have a shot at doing that. And the same thing with the Breeders Crown; she’s not eligible to the Breeders Crown so now we have to sit out for a couple of weeks (at that time).”
A total of four C$25,000 eliminations of the S.B.O.A. will take place on Thursday, with a pair for both the three-year-old filly pacers and trotters. The finals for both gaits will highlight Mohawk’s program of racing on Friday, September 24.
The fields for the eliminations are as follows:
Trot Elimination 1 (Race 1, 7:40 p.m.)
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Line
1 – Peaceful Way – C. Christoforou – D. Tingley – 3-5
2 – Incredible Iam – Ph. Hudon – K. Davidson – 15-1
3 – Bliss – L. Ouellette – P. Buer – 10-1
4 – Northern Fuchsia – R. Mayotte – R. Mayotte – 15-1
5 – McCall Magic – S. Condren – Dr. J. Hayes – 5-1
6 – Trophy Hall – T. Ritchie – D. Leblanc – 4-1
7 – Sno Doubt About It – P. MacDonell – W. Bloomfield – 12-1
Trot Elimination 2 (Race 3, 8:18 p.m.)
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Line
1 – Ima Sweetie Too – K. Jones – K. Jones – 10-1
2 – Eikos Lady – Do. Brown – L. Small – 10-1
3 – Armbro Beseech – D. Boughton – B. Young – 9-2
4 – Hollywood Beauty – L. Ouellette – L. Anderson – 8-1
5 – Ifhallscouldtalk – T. Ritchie – R. Laarman – 3-1
6 – Miss Michelle H – R. Allen – R. Allen – 6-5
7 – Summerhill Hallie – P. MacDonell – R. O’Neill – 10-1
Pace Elimination 1 (Race 6, 9:15 p.m.)
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Line
1 – Converging Spirit – Ph. Hudon – R. Atkin – 6-1
2 – Pauls Peanut – Do. Brown – Do. Brown – 7-1
3 – On This Day – J. Moiseyev – B. McIntosh – 6-1
4 – Cohenikova – P. Lachance – S. McEneny – 4-1
5 – Taylor Lynne – J. Jamieson – C. Jamieson – 7-2
6 – Simply Lucky – C. Christoforou – J. Stutzman – 5-1
7 – Illusionist – Ma. MacDonald – C. Jamieson – 2-1
Pace Elimination 2 (Race 10, 10:31 p.m.)
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Line
1 – Serious Comfort – R. Mayotte – R. Atkin – 10-1
2 – Lucys Fame – J. Jamieson – C. Jamieson – 12-1
3 – Double The Fun – M. Saftic – S. Forbes – 10-1
4 – Apache Dame – M Baillargeon – H. Stead – 25-1
5 – Double Creme – L. Ouellette – R. Banca – 4-1
6 – Invitro – P. MacDonell – G. Irwin – 3-5
7 – Bastet Hanover – T. Kerwood – L. Toscano – 15-1
8 – Madeira Island – C. Christoforou – A. Musillami – 12-1
Come meet Admiral’s Express on Saturday night
Admiral’s Express will have as good a spot as any to take in Saturday evening’s C$861,000 Maple Leaf Trot, as he will be greeting his fans in the Mohawk grandstand stall shortly after he competes in the first race.
![](http://ustrottingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/5384-040915mhAdmirals.jpg)
Woodbine Entertainment Photo
Admiral’s Express will be holding a “meet and greet” on Saturday.
Over the past year, many customers have requested to see the “Grey Gladiator” up close and after he performs in the C$50,000 Open Pace he will do a little mingling.
Mike Hales conditions the eight-year-old gelded son of Admirals Galley–Platinum Card for Michigan-based owners Gary and Laurel Gust and Ed and Cheryl Sayfie.
Having recently notched his 50th career score, Admiral’s Express returned to the Woodbine Entertainment circuit last Saturday after a brief tour of three other Ontario ovals.
A millionaire fan favourite who holds a 1:484 career mark, Admiral’s Express will duel with eight others in the night’s opening dash, including the recently crowned Canadian Pacing Derby champ Casimir Camotion.
Admiral’s Express will join the list of other decorated performers who have had the opportunity to meet their fans, which includes Gallo Blue Chip, Sir Luck and Goodtimes just to name a few.
The complete field for the Open is as follows:
PP – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer
1 – Mystic Marauder – C. Christoforou – J. Stutzman
2 – Whosurboy – C. Christoforou – M. Ford
3 – Kentucky Briar – L. Ouellette – K McMaster
4 – Casimir Camotion – P. Lachance – P. Lachance
5 – Rommel – L. Ouellette – R. Banca
6 – City Rogue N – P. MacDonell – C. Ryder
7 – Boulder Creek – R. Pierce – M. Harder
8 – Admiral’s Express – P. MacDonell – M. Hales
9 – Aahm Canadian Now – Ph. Hudon – M. Preszcator