MILTON — Apex, with Dexter Dunn in the race bike, put on a show in the Grade 1 Mohawk Million, Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The sixth edition of the Million boasted the deepest field the race has ever seen — and the two-year-old trot battle did nothing to disappoint.
At the wire, Apex, trained by Marcus Melander, was a 1 1/2-length winner. Endurance held second, Silverstein was third and Diabolic Hill finished fourth.
Strobe Light, leaving from post eight, blasted off the wings and assumed early control, followed by Dublin Hanover, Silverstein and 1-5 choice Endurance, while Dunn, navigating a tricky trip from post one, clung to the rail and settled his charge into fifth heading into the first turn.
A break in stride by Strobe Light opened the doors for Silverstein to then take a nose lead after an opening panel in: 27.4, but it was short lived as Endurance glided to the front, with Dublin Hanover third and Apex nestled in fourth.
Endurance, riding a six-race win streak, continued to call the shots through a half in 57 seconds, but Dunn and Apex, ranging up on the outside, were turning up the heat on the pacesetter, who reached three quarters in 1:24.4 with a one-length advantage.
Apex dialed up the pressure as Endurance dug down deep along the inside and looked to fend off the 5-2 second choice with the finish line drawing closer. Apex finally drew clear late as Dunn took a quick glance over his right shoulder to see if he had any closers to contend with. Seconds later, he pumped his fist when he realized there was no threat.
“There was a bit of action going into that first turn, but he just handled it like a true professional, and, you know, we got away not too far back,” said Dunn. “He handled really good today.
“He got a little excited there earlier on, but now he’s beautiful and relaxed. He seems so intelligent, too. He knows his job, and he’s only two. So, I moved him down past the half there, and he was travelling so strongly around the last turn.
“I just wanted to make sure he got around it in one piece, and once I asked him, he really put his muscle into it.”
The final time of 1:51.4 was a stakes, track, and Canadian record. The previous stakes standard for the Mohawk Million was 1:52.3, set by Maryland in last year’s event with Dunn driving for Melander.
“He did it so easily last weekend at Hoosier,” said Melander, who also won the Million in 2022 with Oh Well. “You know, he came out of the race good. But I asked Dexter on Sunday there at the Red Mile what his thoughts were, if he thought he had it in him to go another week. And he said he did.”
Before the Million, Apex’s highest profile score came in the $512,431 Grade 1 Peter Haughton Memorial at Hoosier Park on Sept. 12, which also secured him an automatic entry in the Breeders Crown. His other victories include the $312,500 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final on Aug. 2 and the $342,466 New Jersey Classic Final on Sept. 5.
Apex, owned by Jeff Snyder, SRF Stable, and Steve Stewart, entered the Million courtesy of the slot held by Hunterton Farms.
Apex, a winner of his past four starts, paid $7.40 for the win.
The sixth edition of the Mohawk Million generated an event record all-sources handle of $4,662,789, surpassing the previous record of $3.9 million set in 2022.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2025.
The Canadian Press
