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

Toronto, ON — Shanghai Phil and Weiss Hanover both notched tallies in the C$15,000 opening leg of the Dream Maker Series for two-year-old pacers on Tuesday evening at Woodbine.

Both of the colts are now undefeated in their first two career starts.

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Shanghai Phil and driver Dustin Jones were easy winners in their Dream Maker Series division.

Not willing to occupy the pocket early, Shanghai Phil ($4.20, $3.00, $2.10) and driver-trainer Dustin Jones moved well before the quarter pole and never trailed thereafter, as they put in a 1:55³ mile to start things off in the first division.

The son of Blissful Hall–Matter Of Style reached the first three calls in :28⁴, :59¹ and 1:28⁴ before coming home with a :26⁴ final panel to take one-fifth of a second off of his life’s mark. Steve Condren tipped All Over The place ($7.40, $2.80) from third in the final turn and finished second, two lengths in arrears, completing the $25.90 exactor. Mario Baillargeon and McCabe Hall ($2.10) finished four lengths back in third, rounding out the $47.10 triactor.

Perfect so far in his young career, Shanghai Phil is owned by Jones along with Hudson, Quebec’s Bami Farms Inc.

It was a grudge match in the second split, as Weiss Hanover ($5.00, $3.30, $2.50) mowed down a stubborn Whata Buster ($5.10, $2.90) in the lane to notch the victory in 1:54².

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Weiss Hanover gets up on the outside to nip Whata Buster in their Dream Maker Series division.

Mario Baillargeon sent Weiss Hanover to the lead early and turned in a :28 opening quarter-mile. Trainer-driver Doug Brown came calling from the three hole with Whata Buster and made the front before the :58² half-mile marker was reached. As the flow started coming from the back of the pack, Steve Condren sent Oliver Jackson out from fifth for a bid for the lead. Continuing to roll on the point, Brown and Whatabuster passed the three-quarter pole in 1:27¹ with Weiss Hanover occupying the pocket.

The colts and geldings showed their muster in the final quarter-mile though, as Baillargeon had Weiss Hanover out on the attack from second. Whata Buster didn’t want to give it up that easily though, as the Badlands Hanover–What A Bruiser gelding dug in through the lane and made Weiss Hanover earn every bit of his quarter length victory. Oliver Jackson ($3.00) and Condren grabbed third, finishing two lengths back. The exactor returned $30.80 while the triactor paid $57.70.

Pennsylvania’s Sampson Street Stables owns Weiss Hanover, a Western Hanover–Wet Paint bay colt, with New York residents David Scharf, Steven Arnold and Jerry Silva. Unblemished after his first two career starts, Weiss Hanover is trained by Duane Marfisi.

The Dream Maker Series continues next Tuesday, August 3 from Woodbine with the C$15,000 second leg. The C$58,800 (est.) final is scheduled for Tuesday, August 10.

Whenuwishuponastar Series to kick off on Thursday night

A total of 15 two-year-old pacing fillies have drawn into a pair of C$15,000 opening leg divisions of the Whenuwishuponastar Series which will be on display early in Thursday’s program of racing from Woodbine.

Seven fillies will contest the evening’s opening division, which will kick off the card as race one (7:40 p.m.). Eight fillies will make up the second split, which will go as race three (8:18 p.m.).

Peter Congilose’s Secret Deal (Cam’s Card Shark–Secretariat) has received the even-money nod in the opener. The filly’s conditioner Rick Zeron will be in the bike and has drawn the outside post. After a pair of qualifiers, Secret Deal sat fourth through the early fractions in her debut at Woodbine before making a successful late bid for the front. She posted a three-quarters of a length victory in a sparkling 1:56¹ which included a :26⁴ final fraction.

Bob McIntosh’s Belovedangel (Artsplace–Docomo) has drawn the rail and has been named the 3-1 second choice. Steve Condren has gotten the call to navigate Belovedangel, who in her debut at Kawartha Downs came from off the pace to score by a quarter length in 2:00 flat. McIntosh shares ownership of the Blue Chip Bloodstock-bred with Ontario’s John Fielding and the Canamerica Capital Corp.

A trio of fillies will be making their lifetime debuts in the first split. Artisea (post two, Randy Waples, 7-1), Yankee Catalina (post four, Dustin Jones, 8-1) and Beryl Seelster (post five, Chris Christoforou, 7-2) are all set to put in their first charted lines.

The complete field for the first division is as follows:

PP–Horse–Driver–Trainer–Line–Sire/Dam
1–Belovedangel–S. Condren–B. McIntosh– 3-1-(Artsplace/Docomo)
2–Artisea–Ra. Waples–Br. Robinson–7-1- (Artiscape/Sea Biscuit)
3–Easy Operator–Ph. Hudon–R. Bourgeois–12-1-(Armbro Operative/Big Easy Goer)
4–Yankee Catalina–R. Jones–D. Jones–8-1-(Artiscape/ Yankee Cashmere)
5–Beryl Seelster–C. Christoforou–B. McIntosh–7-2-(Jate Lobell/Banshee Hanover)
6–Stonebridge Capri–M. Macdonald–J. Miller–20-1-(Island Fantasy/W C Betina)
7–Secret Deal–R. Zeron–R. Zeron–1-1-(Cam’s Card Shark/Secretariat)

Bob McIntosh protégé Arts Risk (Artsplace–Delinquent Account) has received the 2-1 morning line respect in the second division. The bay is a homebred of Kentucky’s Brittany Farms and Illinois’ Brian P. Monieson Revtrust. After a successful qualifier at Windsor Raceway, Arts Risk made her debut from the six hole at Flamboro Downs. Going to the lead early, she lead at every call and stopped the timer in 2:00², posting a three and a half length victory. Steve Condren is to drive Arts Risk on Thursday.

One slot down in the three hole is the 3-1 second morning line selection Digga Digga (Pacific Fella–Beh Shert). Hailing from Brett Robinson’s barn, Digga Digga was also successful in her life’s debut. After a victorious Mohawk qualifier in 1:58³, the bay posted a three and a half length tally in 1:55 at Woodbine. The bay is owned by Richmond Hill, Ontario’s Marilyn and Ian Fromowitz. Mike Saftic has again gotten the call to guide Digga Digga.

A pair of fillies will be making their debuts in the second division. Duane Marfisi will be sending out the Cambest–Lady Is A Pro miss La Dolce Hall (post five, Chris Christoforou, 4-1), while Bob Young will send out the Artsplace–Armbro Over filly Artacam Hanover (post eight, Dave Boughton, 12-1).

The complete field for the second division is as follows:

PP–Horse–Driver–Trainer–Line–Sire/Dam
1–Armbro Cinnamon–Ra. Waples–B. McIntosh–9-2-(Western Ideal/Mattaroni)
2–Arts Risk–S. Condren–B. McIntosh–2-1-(Artsplace/Delinquent Account)
3–Digga Digga–M. Saftic– Br. Robinson– 3-1-(Pacific Fella/Beh Shert)
4–Pembroke White Out–Ph. Hudon–R. Bourgeois–15-1-(Northern Luck/Winterwood)
5–La Dolce Hall–C. Christoforou–D. Marfisi–4-1-(Cambest/Lady Is A Pro)
6–Lavish Lady–Do. Brown–Do. Brown–10-1-(Western Hanover/Kendal Lavish)
7–Beach Bud–M. Macdonald–B. Macdonald– 8-1-(Jenna’s Beach Boy/Armbro Rosebud)
8–Artacam Hanover–D. Boughton–B. Young–12-1-(Artsplace/Armbro Over)

The C$15,000 second leg of the series is to take place on Thursday, August 5, while the C$52,000 (est.) final is scheduled for Thursday, August 12.