Sylvain Filion became the newest member of the elite 8,000-win club Monday night at Woodbine Racetrack.
Filion entered the evening just two driving wins shy of the milestone and wasted little time getting to the winner’s circle.
Filion recorded the milestone victory in the eighth race behind the 11-year-old veteran pacer Val America.
Filion is the 29th driver in North American harness racing history to reach 8,000 wins. The reinsman reached the milestone mark in his 45,014th career drive.
A resident of Milton, Ontario, Filion is currently in the midst of his best season since 2012 with 299 wins on the campaign. He also leads all Canadian drivers in earnings this season with over $6.2 million.
The 46-year-old leads all drivers this season on the Woodbine Entertainment circuit with 276 wins and over $5.6 million in earnings.
The next milestone on the horizon for Filion is the $100 million earnings mark, as his career earnings total currently sits at over $92 million.
Filion’s first win on the card came with Liberty Lane in the $29,400 Autumn Series final for two-year-old trotting fillies.
The daughter of Deweycheatumnhowe-Fast Lane K entered the rich tilt winless, but she was a solid winner in front-stepping fashion in 1:57.3. Filion had her parked and pressing race favourite Haileysgonedancing to the quarter pole in :28 before muscling to the top. Once on the lead, Liberty Lane served up middle splits of :57.3 and 1:27.4 before using a :29.4 closing quarter to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Haileysgonedancing. Jagersro was a late-closing third.
Robert Key of Leechburg, PA bred and owns the youngster who now boasts a 1-1-3 record from 11 trips to the track. The lion’s share of the loot lifted the Paul Reid trainee’s lifetime earnings to $33,940.
Top Royal used the same approach to capture the $31,800 Autumn Series final for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Phil Hudon had her parked and driving while Lady Marina took the field past the quarter in :27.1. Noone To Depend swept to the lead past the first post and hot on her heels was Top Royal. Hudon eventually cleared with Top Royal, and together they wheeled the group by the next two markers in :55.4 and 1:24.3. Top Royal came under pressure before using a :29.3 closing panel to win by a length in 1:54.1 over Noone To Depend On and Lady Marina.
Sent off at odds of 12-1, the daughter of Royal Mattjesty-Top Of The World prevailed for trainer/co-owner Heather Toll of Seaforth and Brydown Farms Inc of Clinton, ON. It was the sixth win of the season in 15 tries for the career winner of $44,670.
Windsun Revenge was treated to a sweet trip by driver Rick Zeron in the $34,000 Preferred Handicap Trot, and the gelding didn’t let it go to waste.
Whiskey Tax fired to the front and Windsun Revenge enjoyed the garden trip behind his front-stepping foe through fractions of :26.2, :56.1 and 1:25. Windsun Revenge angled out of the pocket in the lane and used a :28.2 kicker to win by 1-3/4 lengths over Whiskey Tax in 1:53.3. Burnin Money took home the show dough.
The four-year-old son of Kadabra-Oaklea Polly improved his 2015 record to 5-4-5 from 23 starts with the victory. Trainer Jeff Durham of Omemee shares ownership on the career winner of $221,233 with Robert Van Camp of Port Perry, ON. Windsun Revenge paid $45.50.
(With files from WEG)
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.