Sugar Packet pours it on in Peaceful Way

August 23, 2025

MILTON, August 23, 2025 – Sugar Packet found a seam into the turn for home and then powered down the lane en route to a scintillating score in the Grade 1 $385,000 Peaceful Way final, Saturday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The race for rookie trotting fillies saw a multi-horse tussle for the early lead with Shimmering Hanover eventually emerging on top, followed by Sugar Packet, Green Moni Queen and 4-5 choice One Belle, as the first quarter was carved out in :27.1.

One Belle, undefeated in three starts prior to the Peaceful Way, was put in play after the opening panel, with Sugar Packet tucked in third and Bingo Night in fourth, as Shimmering Hanover continued to call the shots on the front end through a half in :56.2.

Shimmering Hanover was pressured by One Belle heading into the turn for home, but the latter could not get by and began to lose ground, while Bingo Night was given her cue a few strides ahead of three quarters in 1:25.1. Jody Jamieson maintained a patient hand with Sugar Packet along the rail but needed to find daylight to take aim at the pacesetter.

The opening came shortly after the stretch drive commenced, as Jamieson and the bay daughter of Six Pack out of the Windsongs Legacy mare Sugarcane Yankee stormed to the front with an eighth of a mile to the wire. Bingo Night picked up the chase and attempted to reel in the new leader, but mid-way down the lane, it was merely a question of what the winning margin would be for Sugar Packet.

The answer came in the form of an authoritative 5 ¼-length triumph in a new speed badge of 1:53.3 for the Blake MacIntosh trainee, who was also notching her first stakes win. Bingo Night was second, Shimmering Hanover was third and Wishuponastar Deo was fourth.

"Blake had her so good,” said Jamieson, whose stellar Saturday evening also included a win with Daya in the $100,200 Eternal Camnation final and a victory in the $117,150 Nassagaweya with Tilthecowscomehome. “She just wasn't quite as good as she'd been in the past last week (fourth). She still raced fine. But he (MacIntosh) thought she'd be way better tonight. He said she warmed up better another week at home. And, obviously, she was awesome tonight. Just awesome."

MacIntosh, who co-owns the trotter with Bay Pond Racing Stable and Ozzie Mackay, celebrated his second straight Peaceful Way crown after winning last year’s edition with Monalishi.

"I wasn't really happy with last week's performance,” said the trainer with over 1,300 career wins. “She just had no pop leaving. But, you know, we shipped her up from the New York barn earlier in the week, and maybe that took a little bit out of her. I knew this morning, when I jogged her at the track, she was back to herself. You know, just felt a lot better this morning, and warming up, she was great. I told Jody, ‘She's back to herself.’

"Jody gave her a perfect trip tonight, and everything worked out. That's all we could hope for."

Bred by Winbak Farm, the bay was a $11,000 (USD) purchase at the 2024 Lexington Select Yearling Sale.

Sugar Packet is now 3-3-0 from seven starts. She paid $5.70 for the win.

The Peaceful Way is named for one of the most talented trotting fillies ever bred in Ontario who recorded more than $3.2 million in purse earnings over her brilliant career and was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2008. One year earlier, shortly after Peaceful Way’s retirement, Woodbine Entertainment announced they had renamed the Oakville Stakes (an event she won in her two-year-old career) in the bay mare’s honour.

Chris Lomon, Woodbine Mohawk Park