Driver Tim Tetrick dominated the elimination rounds for the $642,000 Fan Hanover Stake and $351,000 Goodtimes Trot on Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.
Tetrick, trainer Jimmy Takter and owner Brittany Farms swept both $35,000 Fan Hanover Stakes eliminations for three-year-old pacing fillies with Romantic Moment and American Jewel.
Kicking off the evening's elimination action, Tetrick showed Romantic Moment open road in the stretch and the American Ideal-Time N Again miss drew off by over two lengths for a career-best victory in 1:50.4.
Tetrick first fired the Takter trainee off the gate from post five to establish the early lead, but gave way to outsider Angel Scent (Jody Jamieson) at the :26.4 opening quarter mark. Angel Scent led the way to the half in :56.2 with favourite Sarandon Blue Chip (David Miller) underway flushing Pirouette Hanover (Ron Pierce) first up from the three-hole.
Piroutte Hanover swept by the leader as they raced towards the 1:23.2 three-quarters mark. With Sarandon Blue Chip fading in the first over spot as they turned for home, Angel Scent pulled the pocket while Tetrick found a clear path for Romantic Motion on the outside and she zipped by with :26.3 final quarter speed to win. Pirouette Hanover held off Angel Scent for second while Jet Wash (Sylvain Filion) and Legal Entity (Anthony MacDonald) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
"I just wanted to try to get early position and I just wanted to be up close," said Tetrick of his race strategy. "It worked out for me that Casie [Coleman]'s filly [Sarandon Blue Chip] wasn't that good and I got to slip out at the top of the lane. My filly really responded well when she got room; she kicked home really nice. That's a good mile for her."
Romantic Moment paid $14.50 to win as the 6-1 fourth choice. The lightly raced filly has won four times in nine career starts, including last year's Eternal Camnation Stake.
In the second elim, Tetrick fired O'Brien Award winner American Jewel to command early on and never looked back en route to a 1:50 career-best triumph of her own.
Leaving from the outside post eight, American Jewel crossed over to take the lead ahead of Big McDeal (Jody Jamieson) around the first turn. The American Ideal-Trim Hanover miss hit the first quarter mark in :27.1 and rolled past middle splits of :55.3 and 1:22.4 en route to a one and a half length victory. Big McDeal stayed for second while favourite Economy Terror (Brian Sears) finished third. Shelliscape (John Campbell) and Kiss Dont Bite (Yannick Gingras) were fourth and fifth.
"She was a really good filly last year. She competed in all the big races and only got beat a couple of times," said Tetrick. "It took her a couple of starts to get back and she's coming into form. She just really impresses me. She's getting her legs back up under her and I expect good things from her this year."
Tetrick also indicated that he would be driving American Jewel in next week's final.
"I'm happy to get to drive both of them, but American Jewel is my filly," he said.
American Jewel paid $9.70 to win for the first time this year as the 7-2 second choice. The multiple stakes winner has recorded nine victories in 11 career starts while finishing second in her only two losses.
Tetrick also captured the first of two $30,000 Goodtimes Trot eliminations for three-year-olds with the Linda Toscano-trained Market Share turning in a 1:53.2 triumph.
Reckon Im Ready (Mike Vanderkemp) established the lead from post five off the gate and posted a :27.3 opening quarter before being confronted by favourite Beer Summit (Ron Pierce), who advanced from third and cleared just past the :57.1 half.
Beer Summit led the way past the next marker in 1:25 with Lindys Jersey Boy (Frank Antonacci) advancing first up and Market Share following his cover after sitting mid-pack early on.
Down the stretch, Market Share unleashed a :27.4 final frame to sweep by for the one and a quarter length victory over Beer Summit. Il Mago (Trevor Ritchie) closed well for third while Lindys Jersey Boy and early trailer Mikey Hanover (Paul MacDonell) coming on for fourth and fifth.
“[Post 9] is definitely not the spot I wanted to start, but my horse is very tactful – he can leave, he can race off the pace – and tonight I just kind of went forward and saw how things were playing out," said Tetrick. "I didn’t really have any certain plans, I just wanted to get a good trip and be within three or four turning for home. My horse didn’t rest, he trotted home strong and did it very handily.”
Market Share paid $6.30 to win as the 2-1 second choice. The Revenue S-