by Jeff Renton, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group

Campbellville, ON — In his second start of the year, North America Cup eligible The Preacher Pan ($3.20, $2.70, $2.10) and driver Luc Ouellette scored impressively in 1:51³ on Tuesday evening at Mohawk.

His stablemate Panspacificflight ($14.10, $5.60, $3.20), who is also eligible to the Cup, scored in the tenth dash in a sizzling 1:51¹ gate-to-wire flash.

Fellow N.A. Cup eligibles Red Star Special, Mata Harry, and Western Terror were also in action on the night.

Occupying the three hole after the :26³ opening quarter-mile, The Preacher Pan went first-up before the :56¹ half-mile marker. With pacesetter Huge Success (Mike Saftic) unwilling to give up the front, Ouellette rated the The Panderosa colt, who passed the 1:23⁴ third call before pouring it on in the stretch. Battling back, the Kevin McMaster-trainee got up in the final moments to post the nose victory in a new lifetime mark.

Owned by the Peter Pan Stables of Pepper Pike, Ohio, The Preacher Pan had finished third in his season’s debut last Tuesday at Mohawk, pacing his mile in 1:53².

Tuesday’s race was a C$22,000 conditioned pace for five-year-olds and younger who were non-winners of three races or C$63,000 lifetime.

Out of the same mare (Cathedra) that produced $1.5 million dollar earner Cathedra Dot Com, The Preacher Pan banked $264,826 in earnings last year after a posting a record of 2-3-2 from 12 starts.

Also owned by the Peter Pan Stables, Panspacificflight (The Panderosa–You Can Fly) looked sharp in the card-closer. Laying fractions of :27³, :57 and 1:25, Ouellette had the colt wrapped-up in the :26¹ final panel.

Having won seven of his nine races at two and banking $88,613, Panspacificflight was coming in off of a pair of qualifiers at the Meadowlands.

In his season’s debut, Panspacificflight won by five and a half lengths. Western Terror was seven and three-quarter lengths back in third.

Earlier on the card in race two, Mark Macdonald scored at odds of 6-1 with Clark Beelby pupil Red Star Special ($15.80, $4.60, $2.90).

His second win in eight starts this year, Red Star Special (Barnett Hanover–Whimsically) triumphed by a quarter length in 1:54². Darren McCall student Mata Harry (Armbro Operative–Down East Lady) finished five and three-quarter lengths back in fifth.

Owned by White Rock, British Columbia’s Robert Murphy, Red Star Special shaved two and one-fifth seconds off his speed badge with the mile.

Longshots, Longshots, Longshots

In race one, Saftic and Aeropostale ($90.00, $26.90, $12.00) went off at 44-1 odds and scored in 1:55³, topping a $3,799.40 triactor.

After seeing that large return, driver Mario Baillargeon and Might Maori A went off at 55-1 and won in a new life’s mark of 1:57¹ during the fifth race. Paying $112.90, $26.80, $16.60, the seven-year-old gelded son of Maoris Idol topped a $2,157.30 triactor.

Driver Randy Waples scored with Jimmy Crack Cohen ($29.30) in the sixth dash, spearheading a $1,211.40 triactor.

Ouellette led the way home in the eighth sprint of the night, winning with Life Time Friend ($25.90, $7.30, $4.60) in 1:55 flat.