CAMPBELLVILLE, Ont. — It took a stewards inquiry for Tall Dark Stranger and driver Yannick Gingras to gain partial redemption Friday night.
Tall Dark Stranger was awarded the victory in the $786,000 Two-Year-Old Colt Pace. Tall Dark Stranger finished the race behind 6/5 favourite Papi Rob Hanover but afterwards Gingras claimed interference on Papi Rob Hanover's driver David Miller.
There was clear contact between the two in deep stretch, which Gingras, of Sorel, Que., said impacted the finish.
"It (foul claim) isn't something I like to do," Gingras said. "It's clear in my mind I was coming back to beat David.
"There was a great battle down the stretch but I had the momentum going forward. David's horse kind of darted in on him a little bit and it cost me all of my momentum."
Tall Dark Stranger was awarded the win in 1:51.0, Papi Rob Hanover was relegated to second while Cattlewash, at 16/1 odds, took third.
Papi Rob Hanover edged Tall Dark Stranger in last weekend's elimination race. It was Tall Dark Stranger's first loss after opening with seven straight victories.
It was a dramatic ending to the opening night of the $7.84 million Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The four two-year-old races — the fillies and colt trot and pace events — all went Friday night.
The remaining eight races, for horses three-years-old and up, go Saturday night, including the $655,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot. The field will include French bred/owned Bold Eagle, a 45-time winner who'll make his first appearance outside of Europe in this event.
The Colt Pace was the marquee matchup Friday night with the rematch between Papi Rob Hanover and Tall Dark Stranger, the '19 Metro Pace winner. Following last weekend's elimination, though, trainer Nancy Johansson found Tall Dark Stranger was battling sickness.
What's more, Johansson changed the horse's shoes for Saturday's race.
"He was definitely much better," said Johansson, the daughter of Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter. "Obviously he had a tough week, I wasn't able to train him much.
"And that was the first time he went really fast with the aluminum shoes in front so we were worried about that. But it worked out."
Harness racing's championship is back in Canada for the first time since 2015 when it was held at Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack. And Mohawk is staging the Breeders Crown for the first time since 2008.
Andrew McCarthy began the night with a bang. The Australian took 14/1 longshot to victory in the $786,000 Two-Year-Old Fillies Trot, then drove 27/1 pick Reflect With Me to the win in the $786,000 Two-Year-Old Fillies Pace.
"It feels terrific," McCarthy said. "The Breeders' Crown, it's always a special to win.
"Even down in Australia, the Breeders Crown is so prestigious. It's such a thrill to win one. I'm fortunate enough to drive these killers."
McCarthy took Ramona Hill to the lead from the No. 10 hole. She surrendered the lead to 8/5 favourite Hypnotic AM just after the half-mile mark and stood third with a quarter-mile to go.
But Ramona Hill surged to the lead down the stretch for her sixth win in seven races in 1:53.2 on a fast track. Sister Sledge, at 3/1 odds, was second with driver Gingras. Hypnotic AM, driven by American Brian Sears, took third.
McCarthy said surging to the lead from the start was his gameplan for the race.
"I had to try to make something happen because there's some classy fillies inside of her," he said. "I know they can all get off the gate.
"She was slick, you saw how fast she left the gate. I was backing her down well before the turn."
Reflect With Me started from the No. 8 hole and was nowhere near the lead, that is, until deep stretch. Then she simply took off on the outside to catch Lyons Sentinel at the finish in 1:50.3 to give McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna their second win of the night.
"This filly raced so good tonight," McCarthy said. "I knew she'd have a good enough kick in the stretch to at least run into some money.
"But she dug and dug and dug. She was a little tired at the wire but she just kept on pacing."
Reflect With Me earned her fifth win in 11 starts this season.
Dexter Dunn drove Amigo Volo to victory in the $786,000 Two-Year-Old Colt Trot in 1:54.3. The 5/2 second pick led from the wire to earn a fifth win in 10 starts and secured Dunn his first Crown win.
"It feels pretty awesome," Dunn said. "Once he got out of the gate so good I thought we weren't going to take any chances.
"Around the last turn when I could sort of feel the horses dropping off me a little and I had a look around, I thought I was going to take my shot . . . it was a great effort."
Rome Pays Off, a 36/1 longshot, was second ahead of Chestnut Hill, a 6/1 pick. Even-money favourite Real Cool Sam was fourth after coming in with nine straight wins.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2019.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
