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

Campbellville, ON — No matter which way you dissect it, a stellar field of 10 has been drawn for Friday evening’s C$67,800 final of Mohawk’s Youthful Series.

The three-year-old colt and gelding pacers have given fans something to anticipate over the past two Fridays, and the Series’ culmination (race five, 9:00 p.m.) should be something to see.

After bypassing the opening leg and just being beaten by Duca (who received a two hole trip) last week, the Bob McIntosh-trainee Ponder, who is eligible to the Pepsi North America Cup (NAC), has drawn the rail. A The Panderosa colt out of the Abercrombie mare Empty Feeling, Ponder has finished first and second in his only starts this year. Victorious in his only race as a two-year-old, Ponder is co-owned by McIntosh, the CSX Stables of Liberty Center, Ohio and Toronto, Ontario’s John Fielding. Steve Condren has been listed to drive the $11,410 career earner.

WEG Photo

Flashy Baron is the richest horse in the field.

Flashy Baron (NAC eligible), who lived up to his name in the opening leg, has drawn the two hole. After going one of the most dynamic trips seen this year on the WEG circuit, the Herb Holland student skipped the second leg. Rick Zeron, who is the regular pilot of the Rambaran colt, has again gotten the call to drive. A son of the Tyler B mare Best Of Intentions, Flashy Baron has racked up more career earnings ($62,506) than any other in the field.

Owned by 1187422 Ontario Inc. out of Gloucester, Flashy Baron banked $45,158 as a two-year-old (a large portion of which came from his finish of second in his $128,646 division of the Canadian Breeders Championship) and compiled a record of 1-2-0 from four starts. In his three starts back this year, Flashy Baron has a 2-1-0 record and $17,348 in purse earnings.

WEG Photo

Big League Barry is the quickest in the field.

The Baillargeon brothers will be taking their shot with Big League Barry from post position three. Ben does the conditioning while Mario does the driving of the Cambest gelding who they co-own with Whitesand Valley Stables Inc. of Shomberg, Ontario. After suffering early interference in the opening leg, Big League Barry tossed in a monster mile in last week’s division (a gate-to-wire mile in a mark-lowering 1:51³). In fact, the mark of 1:51³ is the quickest of any of the contesting three-year-olds in the field. After one second place finish in two starts last year, Big League Barry (who is out of the Abercrombie mare Crew Angel) has gone 3-0-2 in six trips this year and has banked $26,256 so far this campaign.

The most experienced horse in the field is Pokagon (18 career starts) and he is set to leave from the fourth slot off the gate for owners Gordon Wright of Michigan and Roger Welch of Illinois. Conditioned by Ben Wallace, Pokagon has Keith Oliver listed to drive after being paired with Mario Baillargeon for his past five races. An Armbro Operative colt out of the Albatross mare Oconee, Pokagon finished second by less than a length in all three races of the recently concluded Apaches Fame Series at Woodbine. Pokagon was the most heavily-raced two-year-old in field, as he made 12 trips (2-0-3) last year and earned $24,255. In 2004 Pokagon has gone 0-3-1 in six trips and has banked $20,542. Pokagon holds a speed badge of 1:53³ and has finished fourth and third respectively in his preliminary legs of the Youthful Series.

WEG Photo

Duca will have the driving services of Luc Ouellette for the first time.

There has been quite a bit of hype so far this year about the Nat Varty-trained Duca (NAC eligible) and it seems that on Friday he will be teamed up with a new partner. Listed to drive the gelded son of Western Hanover is none other than Luc Ouellette. Having been piloted by Randy Waples for all of his five career starts, Duca is set to leave from the five hole with Ouellette at his lines for the first time. Owned by Jeffrey Snyder of New York and Ontario’s Lothlorien Equestrian Centre, Duca has looked impressive so far this year, as he has amassed a record of 2-1-0 and $13,413 in earnings from three starts. Succumbing to Flashy Baron’s mile in the first leg, Duca sprung from a two hole trip last week to notch the win in a life’s mark of 1:52⁴. A gelded son of the Cam Fella mare Five O’Clock Cindy, Duca performed in a pair of dashes as a two-year-old, finishing off the board and banking $326 for the campaign.

Another North America Cup-eligible horse has drawn post position six. Hailing from the powerful Joe Stutzman barn, Magical GG has Paul MacDonell listed to drive. And why not? Last week the gelded son of Real Artist finished a half-length back in second to Big League Barry who just wasn’t going to be caught. Out of the Matt’s Scooter mare Bone Chill, Magical GG skipped the opening leg of the Series after performing well in a non-winners of two races event on March 29 at Wooodbine. In that race, Magical GG finished second while pacing his mile in 1:52, coming home with a :26⁴ final quarter-mile. After compiling a 0-1-2 record and $2,320 in earnings from four starts as a two-year-old, Magical GG has gone 3-3-2 in 10 starts this year and has banked $21,141. Magical GG is owned by 1354609 Ontario Inc., which is based out of Windsor.

The Brett Robinson-trained Allamerican Unique (NAC eligible) has drawn the seven hole and Randy Waples is listed to drive. Finishing an impressive second on a sloppy track in the opening leg, Allamerican Unique finished fifth, three lengths back of Big League Barry, in last week’s second leg. Although the Artsplace colt’s performance last week may not stand out to some, there are reasons to believe that it was a positive mile. Out of the Presidential Ball mare Unaccountaball, Allamerican Unique paced in 1:52¹ apparently after having battled the effects of a slight lung infection. Owned by Florida’s Norman and Gerald Smiley along with New York’s Theodore Gewertz, Allamerican Unique has banked more in earnings this year ($43,995) than any other performer in the field and has a record of 5-2-0 from 10 starts.

Trainer/driver Mike Vanderkemp and Winfromheretohere have drawn post position eight. Owned by the Delegance Stable IX and Noel Daley of New Jersey along with Pennsylvania’s Sampson Street Stables, the Grinfromeartoear colt rebounded nicely in last week’s second leg. After finishing fifth in 1:57 during the opener, Winfromheretohere paced in 1:52 last week, finishing one and three-quarter lengths behind Big League Barry. A son of the Kiev Hanover mare Carolache, Winfromheretohere was 1-0-1 after five races as a two-year-old ($5,129) and has a record of 0-1-1 from three starts ($5,070) so far this year.

Slide one spot down to the nine hole and you will find the Jeff Gillis-owned and trained Dream Possession. Over a first leg track which was rated one second off, Dream Possession scored by one and a quarter lengths in 1:56¹. In the second leg, the son of Dream Away made early breaks and was subsequently distanced. A colt out of the Legal Notice mare Legal Possession, Dream Possession holds a mark of 1:54¹ and has a record of 4-0-1 with $29,028 in earnings this year after going unraced as a two-year-old. Driver Jody Jamieson, who recently surpassed 2,000 career wins, has gotten the call to drive.

The 2004 Apaches Fame Series champion Western Gem had drawn the outside 10 hole, but has since been scratched. In his place will be the Anthony MacDonald-trained and driven Albert Town. Owned by Jasper, Ontario’s Lee Brundige, Albert Town -– an Albert Albert gelding -– has partaken in 13 dashes this year (the most this year of all the horses in the field) and has posted a 3-3-4 record and $22,742 in earnings. Out of the Big Towner mare Keystone Merijane, Albert Town holds a life’s mark of 1:55², yet paced his mile in last week’s second leg in 1:53⁴. In both of the preliminary legs so far, Albert Town has finished fourth.

The complete field is as follows:

Race 5 (9:00 p.m.)

PP – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer

1 – Ponder – S. Condren – R. McIntosh

2 – Flashy Baron – R. Zeron – H. Holland

3 – Big League Barry – M. Baillargeon – B. Baillargeon

4 – Pokagon – K. Oliver – B. Wallace

5 – Duca – L. Ouellette – N. Varty

6 – Magical GG – P. MacDonell – J. Stutzman

7 – Allamerican Unique – Ra. Waples – Br. Robinson

8 – Winfromheretohere – M. Vanderkemp – M. Vanderkemp

9 – Dream Possession – J. Jamieson – J. Gillis

10 – Albert Town – A. MacDonald – A. MacDonald

Retention Barn – All horses