by Ashley Mayotte, WEG communications

Campbellville, ON — Upsets dominated the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes on Saturday night (June 4) at Mohawk. All three divisions offered legitimate, high-profile favorites that were defeated by up-and-coming stars.

Up The Credit won the first division in a stakes record time of 1:49.

In the first division, Up The Credit beat heavy favorite Big Jim in a 10-1 shocker. The Western Terror colt got under the wire in 1:49, a career-best and stakes record clocking, 1-3/4 lengths in front of his rival. Powerful Mist was third, beaten 2-1/4 lengths.

Prodigal Seelster (Randy Waples) took the lead into the first turn with an opening panel of :26.1. Phil Hudon and 1-10 favorite Big Jim cleared and held the lead, through fractions of :54 and 1:21.3.

Into the final turn, Rock To Glory (David Miller) made a bid from fifth and Up The Credit (Jody Jamieson) caught his cover, which flushed Powerful Mist. Down the stretch, Jamieson pulled Up The Credit three-wide and opened an attack on Big Jim, as did Powerful Mist. The threesome dueled with Up The Credit emerging near the wire for his third win of the campaign.

Trainer Carl Jamieson credits the win to a three-week layoff.

“Like what Jody always says, it’s better to have a sound horse and a fresh horse than a lame one that’s hurting a bit and can’t go, so I just didn’t bother racing him. I gave him three weeks off and a couple slow trips and he showed it tonight,” he said.

Jamieson says he was always committed to the Pepsi North America Cup, but by winning the key prep race for the C$1.5 million race makes it definite. He also hopes his colt stays sound.

“He is a real good horse,” said the conditioner. “He was a good horse last year, but he had some issues and we had to stop with him. He is back on his game right now and we are just going to keep our fingers crossed, and hope he hangs on for the summer.”

The brown colt paid $23.90 to win and now has a lifetime record of 5-2-0 in nine starts with career earnings of C$103,440 for owners Carl Jamieson, Thomas Kyron, Brian Paquet and Joanne Morrison.

Jim Carr, owner of Big Jim, was philosophical about his bay finishing second.

“They all get beat and my horse is no different,” he said. “Last year, Up The Credit won the elimination of the Dream Maker and we won the final. He’ll be just fine for next week’s eliminations (June 11) of the North America Cup. I’m not worried.”

Bestofbest Hanover scored in 1:51.2 in the second division.

Bestofbest Hanover captured the second C$100,000 division in a 7-1 upset. The Jack Moiseyev-driven sophomore stopped the teletimer in 1:51.2.

Rockabillie (Sylvain Filion) led the field to the quarter pole in :27.2. Tim Tetrick pulled On The Radar from the pocket and took the lead at the half in :56.1 and held the front past the three-quarters in 1:23.4.

On the final turn, Bestofbest Hanover, who was fourth on the rail, moved to the outside and was three-wide as they entered the stretch. The Daniel Martin-trainee took the lead late in the stretch and opened up on the field en route to the 1-3/4 length victory. Rockabillie got up for second, a half-length ahead of Lookinforadventure (Brett Miller).

Moiseyev wasn’t surprised with the late speed that his charge demonstrated.

“He showed a lot of speed last year, and showed a lot of speed last week,” he said. “He flipped in the first turn, his palette, last week and he still made a move down the backside. He’s got high speed if he can just save it for the end.”

Off the Somebeachsomewhere effort, Moiseyev believes the son of Western Hanover is ready for the summer stakes action.

“He had a nice easy trip, sat in and just brushed the last quarter,” he said. “That’s what everybody likes to do when you’re starting out at the beginning of a stakes season.”

The bay paid $17 to win and has a lifetime record of 6-0-1 in nine starts with career earnings of C$79,740 for owner L Ecurie Triple P Inc.

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Roll With Joe was a 1:49.3 winner for Randall Waples in the final split.

Betterthancheddar went into Saturday’s third division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes a heavy favorite, but Roll With Joe emerged as a new shooter for the June 18 Cup, with a decisive three-quarter length win over his rival in a time of 1:49.3. Shadyshark Hanover was third, beaten 2-1/4 lengths.

Randall Waples drove the Cam’s Card Shark colt to his second win in two starts this year for Edward Hart and the partnership of Blue Chip Bloodstock, Stephen Demeter, Not To Worry Stable, and Winbak Farm.

Eighteen took the early lead through an early split of :26.2, but Roll With Joe attacked and held the lead through a :55.1 half-mile split. Betterthancheddar took the lead soon after. Around the turn (1:22.3), Betterthatnchaeddar still held the advantage, but a poised Roll With Joe re-emerged in mid-stretch and gunned down the 3-5 choice in the final steps for the $22.60 victory.

Like many local racing fans, Waples didn’t know much about Roll With Joe before the race, but he has quality, according to the veteran driver.

“I didn’t know that much about him,” admitted Waples. “Usually you hear about ones like him, but he’s a very nice horse. Handy, good-gaited, he’s just a nice horse to drive. He dug right in, paced to the wire, I can’t say anything bad about him. He was pretty sweet.”

It was career win number four in 10 starts for Roll With Joe, who now has lifetime earnings of C$207,740.