Musical Rhythm and McWicked shared the spotlight on Saturday night (July 8) at Mohawk Racetrack with victories in the co-featured Preferred events.
Driven by Sylvain Filion, Musical Rhythm quickly crossed to command from post six in the $34,000 Preferred Trot and led the way through fractions of :28.1, :56.4 and 1:24.2 with 8-5 favourite Odds On Amethyst advancing up to second-place. However, Musical Rhythm trotted away down the stretch to win by four and a quarter lengths in 1:53.1. Sent postward as the 9-5 second choice, he paid $4.40 to win.
After being interfered with at the start, Flanagan Memory (Phil Hudon) closed well from the back of the six-pack to finish second. As a result of the early interference, wagers on the Rene Dion trainee were refunded. Charmed Life (Louis-Philippe Roy) was third.
Musical Rhythm is trained and co-owned by Ben Baillargeon along with his partners Santo Vena of Brampton, Ont., Nunzio Vena of Bolton, Ont., and Claude Hamel of Ayer's Cliff, Que. The five-year-old son of Cantab Hall and Musical Victory notched his second win of the season and has banked $94,500 in eight starts so far this year.
Mohawk Gold Cup winner McWicked returned to the Campbellville oval after competing in the Ben Franklin eliminations and delivered on his pari-mutuel promise facing Preferred company this evening with Louis-Philippe Roy in the sulky for trainer Casie Coleman.
In a compact field scratched down to just five pacers, McWicked settled into fourth-place early on and advanced first-over down the backstretch once Fool Me Once (James MacDonald) looped Easy Lover Hanover (Randy Waples) for the lead past the :26.4 quarter. McWicked advanced through a half in :55.2 and matched strides with the leader by the 1:23 third quarter mark before taking command in the stretch and drawing away, with Easy Lover Hanover moving back out and chasing four lengths behind in the 1:49.4 mile. Continual Hanover (Jonathan Drury) finished third.
McWicked paid $2.50 to win as the 1-5 favourite.
Owned by Ed James of Aurora, Ont., McWicked is closing in on the $2 million career earnings mark. The six-year-old son of McArdle and Western Sahara earned his sixth win from 14 starts this year and lifted his 2017 bankroll to $159,400.
Saturday's card was marred by the tragic passing of nine-year-old pacing gelding Wazzup Wazzup following the finish of the seventh race. A WEG Circuit regular, the son of Life Sign was a 36-time career winner with earnings totalling $566,220. He was trained this season by Duane Marfisi and owned by Rolling Hills Racing Stables.
Please join Standardbred Canada and Woodbine Entertainment Group in offering condolences to the connections of Wazzup Wazzup.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.
For the official judges' report from Saturday's card, click the following link: Judges' Report - Mohawk - July 8.
I am devastated. I just got
I am devastated. I just got done asking about Wazzup Wazzup tonight at the track here in Sarnia asking a regular what has been going on with the horse. I also just posted under a race on YouTube asking what is going on with him and how he is my favorite horse. I always had dreamed of getting to Toronto to see him race live and then ask if I could be in the Winner's Circle with him for a photo. I am so sad. I love harness racing as the sport and sometimes I take flack for that. I love certain horses and this was my favorite for years now. RIP Wazzup Wazzup. If there is any chance I could get in touch with the connections to maybe get a photo of him from when he won a race that would be greatly appreciated. I truly loved this horse from afar.