Many Moons ($7.10) convincingly bested his nine rivals in the Dream Maker Pacing Series' lone first-round event, held Monday evening (July 26) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Shortly after winning a Battle of Waterloo elimination with Betterhavemymoney at Grand River Raceway, driver James MacDonald made the 40-minute drive to Mohawk to steer Many Moons, a two-year-old son of Sweet Lou and Solar Eclipse, to the second victory of his career for owners Mac Nichol and Robert Jones.
The promising rookie secured the three-hole behind early speedsters Pearl Snaps (Aaron Byron) and True Blue Lindy (Jody Jamieson) through a :13 first furlong, and forced Atlas Hanover (Doug McNair) to tuck behind him at the completion of a :27.4 first quarter. Upon reaching the backstretch, MacDonald gave Many Moons the green light, and he brushed boldly to the fore, clearing Pearl Snaps well before a :56.1 half. Many Moons maintained his advantage through the far turn — even amid first-over pursuit from Atlas Hanover through a :27.4 third sectional — and he sprinted away at first asking from MacDonald upon cornering for home. The Anthony Beaton trainee was clear by as many as six lengths in mid-stretch, but was taken in hand nearing the end of his 1:51.3 mile, four seconds better than his previous mark. True Blue Lindy rallied three-wide to save second after being shuffled mildly; Nautical Hanover (Bob McClure) closed down the grandstand side and narrowly headed off Rockaway Bay (Paul MacDonell) for third.
Many Moons, a $55,000 Harrisburg-at-Timonium purchase by Nichol and Jones, was bred by Flintlock Farm. He now has two wins and a second-place finish in three starts to date.
The second preliminary leg of the Dream Maker series, restricted to two-year-old pacers, is slated for next Monday (Aug. 2), and the $50,000 added final will take place Aug. 9.
To view Monday's complete results, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.