Chantilly Charms, Miki And Minnie Motors in Fan Hanover Eliminations

MILTON, June 7, 2025— Both star fillies, Chantilly and Miki And Minnie, excelled over the Woodbine Mohawk Park surface in their respective $35,000 Fan Hanover eliminations on Saturday night.

Chantilly maintained her unbeaten record with a 1:50.1 stroll in the second of two Fan Hanover eliminations.

Leaving from the pylon post, driver James MacDonald settled in fourth while The Last Martini marched to lead into a :28.2 first quarter with Rodeo Drive Deo pressing outside. Rodeo Drive Deo suddenly broke stride entering the backstretch, and as she came back on stride MacDonald launched off the pegs to brush Chantilly to the front. Chantilly took over the lead to a :56 half and cruised through the last turn, clicking past three-quarters in 1:24. MacDonald stayed poised in the sulky as the daughter of Big Jim sprinted for the finish to win handily by five lengths. The Last Martini held second while Westwinds soared from last for third, Wickedpace held fourth and Rodeo Drive Deo faded from a wide trip in fifth.

“I just tried to let her float out and feel her way into the race,” James MacDonald said after the race. “Dougie [McNair] made front easy, but when [Dave Miller’s] horse made a break and the quarter was soft, it was a pretty easy decision to flip her to the lead and let her float along.”

Undefeated from 12 starts and trained by Nick Gallucci, Chantilly has now earned $915,256 for owner-breeder Millar Farms. The filly, who paid $2.80 to win, deferred into the Fan Hanover after talks of tackling the boys in the Pepsi North America Cup, which was a difficult decision for owner George Millar.

“It was tough. I mean, talk to my wife – she’s still calling me a chicken for not putting her in,” George Millar said after the race with a laugh. “I just want to try and do what’s best for the horse. I wish there were maybe one or two more races under her belt so I could’ve made a better decision. It’s a long season and she’s got a lot of races and money to go for, and sometimes if you just race a horse a little too hard you take the heart out of them. I didn’t want to see us do that to her because she’s a one-in-a-lifetime type horse. I think I made the right decision, my wife will say I never did but she’s got to live with it.”

Chantilly will join other Fan Hanover elimination winner Miki And Minnie, last season’s Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Pace champion, in next week’s final. James MacDonald after Chantilly’s win in the elimination said “She always wraps herself up pretty good, but next week will be a different story. I don’t think anyone will be winning wrapped up. You got a pretty good masterclass on what makes Dexter [Dunn] so great after the trip he gave Miki And Minnie today. Just a perfect elimination going in, and I really look forward to the matchup.”

In the other Fan Hanover elimination, odds-on chalk Miki And Minnie uncorked an effortless sprint down the center of the track to claim the first elimination of the Fan Hanover in 1:50.2.

Driver Dexter Dunn landed in fourth with Miki And Minnie as pylon-starter Outtathisworld Deo hustled forward for the lead and Thebeautifulthings crossed over from the outermost post for the pocket. Outtathisworld Deo clocked the first quarters in :26.2 and hit the breaks entering the backstretch, prompting Cant See Me to pull from third and brush for the lead. Cant See Me cleared control into a :56.2 half while Dunn waited to make his move.

Dunn managed to flush cover from Thebeautifulthings into the final turn and rolled forward as that tow came toe to toe with Cant See Me heading to three-quarters in 1:24.3. Upon straightening, Dunn fanned Miki And Minnie off a helmet and glided past the competition under no encouragement to storm home a 1-1/2-length winner over Cant See Me. Thebeautifulthings held third from a fast-closing Perfectly Chic while Outtathisworld Deo faded to fifth.

“Last year, she just kept getting better as the season went on,” Dexter Dunn said after the race. “She got turned out and she’s really filled out and come back stronger this year. I’m happy with the way she’s started the season. She felt great. The middle two quarters were pretty sedate, but we were close enough and she’s versatile; she can grind it out the hard way or show a turn of foot. It makes my job easy with her and she knows where that finish line is, that’s for sure.”

A daughter of Always B Miki trained by Chris Ryder, Miki And Minnie remained unbeaten from two starts this season while collecting her eighth win from 13 starts overall, good for $1,188,822 in earnings for owner-breeders Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo and Lawrence Minowitz. Sent the 1-9 favourite, Miki And Minnie paid $2.10 to win.

The top five finishers from each of the Fan Hanover eliminations advance to the final next week. Each elimination winner earns a protected draw between posts 2 through 6 for the final.

By Ray Cotolo, for Woodbine Communications