When Mohawk Racetrack opens its doors for the summer meet on Thursday, May 19, the excitement will only have just begun

.

Woodbine Entertainment's Vice-President of Standardbred Racing Bruce Murray explains that with racing 12 months a year, it is important to focus on particular months in order to witness the best of the best.

“To draw an analogy to other sports, the next few months are like the playoffs for local racing, the number of major races and all the top horses that go together with that,” said Murray. “It’s the most exciting time of the year for horse racing.”

The $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup is the most anticipated event on the stakes calendar, which will feature the sport’s top three-year-old pacers, set for June 18 (eliminations June 11).

Over the winter months, the company has outfitted the Campbellville facility with additional flat screen televisions and is all set to unveil the newly renovated Trackside Lounge on Thursday.

“The Trackside Lounge on the main floor has undergone a total transformation, with a new furniture layout, fixtures and an attractive casual menu,” said Murray. “We think customers and horsepeople alike will really enjoy the surroundings and find this a comfortable place to gather.”

Also new is the launch of a Mohawk Facebook page, where fans can get harness racing news, event updates and race results.

Beginner Betting Seminars will continue to be part of each major racing event. The first seminar, hosted by WEG’s Greg Gangle, will be held on Fireworks and Family Fun Night on Sunday, May 22 at 5:30 p.m. Special guest, driver Jody Jamieson will be on hand to offer insight and answer questions. Customers can pre-register online.

In addition, WEG has announced they will maintain the guaranteed early Pick 4 pool for the Mohawk summer meet that will also include Tuesday evening cards. The early Pick 4 pool on Saturdays will be guaranteed at $75,000 beginning in Race 4, with a $50,000 guaranteed early Pick 4 pool on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings. There will be no guaranteed Pick 4 wager on Sunday, May 22.

As for the Woodbine meet that concluded Monday evening, Murray said general numbers improved over a year ago. Total wagering on the 75-day season was up over 2 per cent and average bet per race was up 19 per cent over the 2010 Woodbine winter-spring campaign.

“It was a much stronger Woodbine meet than a year ago," said Murray. "A four-night a week schedule through the winter versus five nights a year ago was more appealing to customers and assisted in keeping the quality of racing up. The Pick 4 has become the most popular standardbred bet and the exposure our racing is receiving in the United States market is helping the overall numbers.”

Drivers Scott Zeron and Phil Hudon are pumped and ready for the return of standardbred racing at Mohawk.

Zeron, one of racing’s up-and-coming stars, finished sixth on the 2011 Woodbine driver leaderdboard with a record of 45-43-44 in 356 starts with $805,545 in purses.

Zeron will return to the Campbellville oval with 10 drives scheduled for the opener, and he cannot wait to get out on the track.

“I am definitely excited,” said the Oakville, Ont. resident. “Mohawk suits my driving style, where you can stalk the pray and come from behind, so that’s what I like, a quarter-mile stretch where everyone’s got a shot.

“I don’t really like leaving with every horse that I drive. I kind of like taking them off the gate and saving them for the last quarter,” explained Zeron. “At Woodbine it’s really tough if you’re sitting near the back around that last turn, you don’t have a good shot at catching the field, but at Mohawk, it really works in your favour that way.”

When racing at Mohawk, the 21-year-old driver gets a rush when he looks over to the grandstand.

“I like the fans being right up against the rail, cheering,” said Zeron. “You can see them all right there. Everybody is up close and enjoying the entertainment.”

Mohawk is where Zeron spent a lot of time as child with his father, Rick, who has a stable located on the backstretch. The track will always have a special place in his heart.

“I’ve had a lot of good memories here,” said Zeron. “I’ve had some pretty big wins and I’m hoping that it will be a good year again this year.”

Hudon who had a record of 31-27-30 in 322 starts with $580,880 in purses during the 2011 Woodbine meet, shares in the excitement about returning to Mohawk for the highly anticipated upcoming stakes season.

“It’s good stakes racing,” he stated. “You get to see all the best horses in North America race at Mohawk, so that’s exciting on its own.”

Hudon hopes to win one of the major stakes events of the summer meet, the $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup, with O’Brien Award winner Big Jim.

When the Rockwood resident hits the track Thursday he will be using a different strategy.

“I think you can be lot more patient,” said Hudon. “You seem to be able to gain a lot more around the last turn, Woodbine you have to be up near the front.”

Just as drivers need to adjust their game plans when moving to a different track, Hudon thinks that handicappers should as well.

“The horses from off the pace, who show good last quarters at Woodbine will be really good at Mohawk, because they finish better and they have more turn to work with, that’s part of the key to handicapping Mohawk’s races,” he explained.

The 98-day Mohawk meet will kick off Thursday with a 10-race program. Live racing will continue on Friday and Saturday with a first race post time of 7:10 p.m. There will be a special Sunday evening card of racing for Fireworks and Family Fun Night, which gets underway at 6:30 p.m.

Stakes action begins immediately at Mohawk, with the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold eliminations for three-year-old trotting colts featured on the initial Sunday card, and continues almost non-stop until fall. Major stakes engagements include the $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup (Saturday, June 18), the Maple Leaf Trot (Saturday, July 23), the Metro Pace, Canadian Pacing Derby and Shes A Great Lady Stakes (Saturday, September 3) and the Canadian Trotting Classic, Peaceful Way Stakes and William Wellwood Memorial (Saturday, September 17).

(With files from WEG)