Freshman fillies had their night in the spotlight Monday evening in the Harvest Series at Woodbine Mohawk Park, but Thursday night belonged to the boys.
Three divisions – one for two-year-old trotters and a pair for their juvenile pacing counterparts – went postward as part of the evening’s 11-race card.
Publicity Seeker got things rolling with his 1:57.3 triumph in the lone division for the trotters.
With Doug McNair in tow, the son of Muscle Mass-Pretty Crafty got away fifth before latching onto cover and advancing on the rim in the back half of the $17,000 affair. He worked his way to the lead in the late going and prevailed by a half-length margin over Arlanda, who led through middle panels of 1:01.1 and 1:29.3. Warrawee Windsor was third.
Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, Publicity Seeker won for the third time in six starts for trainer Steve Bossence. He shares ownership on the gelding with breeder Richard Thompson and Derek Reid. The lion’s share of the loot lifted his bankroll to $31,360.
The pacers were up next, and in the opening division it was Rau Ru producing a front-stepping score in a sharp clocking of 1:53.3 for driver Paul MacDonell.
The son of Bettors Delight-Band Of Angels, who hangs his harness bag in the barn of trainer Clark Beelby, brushed to the top in the second quarter before going on to post middle panels of :57.1 and 1:25.4. He then used a :27.4 final frame to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Downers Delight. Snap Call was third.
Coyote Wynd Farms of Vancouver, BC owns the youngster who has earned back $21,458 of his $105,000 purchase price from the 2019 Lexington Select Yearling Sale.
Shazam Blue Chip powered home in :27.1 for driver Bob McClure en route to snaring a 1:53.2 decision in the second division for the pacers.
McClure got away third before getting shuffled to fifth with the Luc Blais trainee. The gelding found room in the back half of the contest and when he was fed racetrack in the late going he had no problem getting up to post the win by three-quarters of a length over heavily-favoured No Free Lunch. Last Bet tagged along to finish third.
Sent off at odds of 6-1, the son of Shadow Play-Michelles Song improved his record to 2-1-2 from eight assignments while pushing his bankroll to $28,783 for Determination of Montreal, QC.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.