On Saturday night, August 17, Woodbine Mohawk Park witnessed a thrilling series of eliminations for both the William Wellwood Memorial and the Peaceful Way, featuring notable performances and surprises. The $30,000 eliminations for the Wellwood saw expected favourites prevail, while the Peaceful Way eliminations were highlighted by surprising upsets.
William Wellwood Memorial Eliminations:
First Elimination:
- Winner: Tactical Dynasty (Yannick Gingras)
- Time: 1:53.4
- Tactical Dynasty, the odds-on favourite, demonstrated exceptional power and speed, overcoming a third-place position early on to take command before the half-mile. After pulling away, he won by five lengths. However, Extended Session, who had initially finished second, was disqualified to fifth due to breaking stride, leading to Lookatmegoamigo and others moving up in the standings.
Second Elimination:
- Winner: Emoticon Legacy (James MacDonald)
- Time: 1:56
- In a thrilling finish, Emoticon Legacy, a 13-1 shot, stayed unbeaten in only his second start, narrowly edging out the heavily favoured Nordic Catcher S by a head. The colt's fine lineage and promising performance caught the attention of the driver, who noted the potential developing within him.
Peaceful Way Eliminations:
First Elimination:
- Winner: Royal Mission (Trevoy Henry)
- Time: 1:54.3
- Coming in at 8-1 odds, Royal Mission secured a much-needed victory by pouncing off the pocket and overtaking the second choice, Monalishi, in the stretch. Strategic racing allowed her to capitalise on the relatively tame pace set by the front-runners.
Second Elimination:
- Winner: R Dutchess (Jody Jamieson)
- Time: 1:53.1
- Despite being a 13-1 long shot, R Dutchess managed to rally from behind and surpass the 3-5 favourite recently crowned as a strong competitor, Champagne Problems. Her determination shone through, showcasing both tenacity and the potential for improvement in her racing skills.
Each winner earned protection for the upcoming finals by securing favourable post positions, ensuring a highly competitive event scheduled for August 24. The performances from Saturday set the stage for an exciting culmination of the stakes in the following week.