The Graduate Series for 4-year-olds kicked-off for 2025 with three divisions on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The pacing side needed two splits for round one, while the trotting side featured a field of nine in one dash.
Despite posting sizzling fractions, Captain Luke dug in tough to hold off several rivals narrowly in 1:49 2/5 to win the first C$68,000 pacing division.
With multiple U.S.-based drivers unable to compete due to travel issues, Jody Jamieson was able to take advantage of the last-minute call behind Captain Luke. Vandiemen Bluechip rushed out to the lead to hang up a 26 1/5 opener and kept on rolling up the backstretch. Captain Luke pulled from third to attack the lead through a 53 4/5 half.
After clearing entering the final turn, Captain Luke took the field by three-quarters in an eye-popping 1:20 2/5. The pacers had to battle through a stretch headwind, with Captain Luke holding a short lead over a trio of outside rivals, while Vandiemen Bluechip had no room behind the leader.
At the wire, Captain Luke made one final push to win by a neck over Arbitrage Hanover. Chain Gang was third by half a length, while Howlenthehills was fourth by three-quarters of a length.
Captain Luke is trained by Andrew Harris and is now one-for-three to start his 4-year-old season. The son of Captaintreacherous made over C$450,000 at age three, despite just three wins from 20 starts. A now six-time winner, Captain Luke is approaching C$900,000 in career earnings. He is owned by William Pollock, Bruce Areman and Harris. A $2 win ticket on Captain Luke returned $3.50.
Nijinsky picked up his first win of the season with a strong 1:48 3/5 score in the C$68,000 second Graduate Pace division.
Teaming with regular driver Louis-Philippe Roy, Nijinsky dropped in third before making a second quarter rush to the lead, overtaking a moving Sweet Beach Life. The second split was spicy as Nijinsky took the field by the half in 54 seconds off a 27 2/5 opener.
Nijinsky led the field to three-quarters in 1:21 and would get away on his rivals in the stretch. Several rivals made a late bid, but it was all over as Nijinsky secured the victory by three-quarters of a length. Calicojack Hanover was second, while Timeisonmyside and Storm Shadow completed the top-four.
Trained by Anthony Beaton, Nijinsky will now bypass the next Graduate Series leg on June 13 and aim for the Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational on June 14. The Gold Cup is part of the Pepsi North America Cup card, which last year saw Nijinsky prevail in Canada's most prestigious harness race.
Nijinsky is now a 13-time winner with over C$1.8 million earned for owners West Wins Stable, John Fielding, Mark Dumain and Winbak Farm. He paid $2.30 to win.
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Private Access continued the trend of battle-back winners on Saturday by edging Warrawee Michelle in the C$102,000 Graduate Trot.
Roy used a little bit of early speed from Private Access to go forward, ultimately marching up to the lead at a 27 2/5 opening quarter. The duo would get things their own way through a middle-half clip of 56 2/5 and 1:24 2/5.
Warrawee Michelle came first-up on the far turn and got onto even terms with Private Access with an eighth of a mile remaining. The Ake Svanstedt-trained and driven Warawee Michelle got a short lead late, but Private Access fought his way back to regain the top and win by a neck in 1:52 3/5. Security Protected finished third, while Mars Hill was fourth.
Owned by Determination, Private Access was making his first start of the season on Saturday after three qualifiers. The Luc Blais trainee had just one win in 14 starts last season, but made over C$400,000 in the process. Private Access paid $15.30 to win.
The next leg of the Graduate Series is scheduled for Friday, June 13 at the Meadowlands.
--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--