Codename Cigar Box was second under the wire in the $32,000 Preferred 2 Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, Feb. 10, but ultimately made it to the winner's circle as Reactor Now A, who had finished first, was placed fifth for interference.

Codename Cigar Box was content to sit in sixth for driver Travis Cullen as 7-5 favourite Powertrain (Louis-Philippe Roy) led the field through at :26.2 first quarter, then yielded to Cold Creek Queso (Tyler Jones), who reached the half in :54.4 before arriving at three-quarters with pressure from Rockabilly Rebel N (James MacDonald) in 1:23.1. Codename Cigar Box was third over at the top of the stretch, then brushed past rivals before finishing three-quarters of a length behind Reactor Now A (Doug McNair), who stopped the teletimer in 1:51.4.

The judges reviewed the stretch drive and determined that Reactor Now A interfered with Saulsbrook Victor, veering into the path of that gelding. The placing moved Codename Cigar Box into the top spot for a 12-1 score.

The win is the third in 2024 for the six-year-old gelding by Custard The Dragon out of the Artsplace mare Art Amour. Travis Cullen drove for trainer Jodie Cullen and owners Paul Sanders, A1stable and Ron Cullen. Codename Cigar Box is now a winner of three of his six starts in 2024, with lifetime earnings of $531,323.

Earlier in the evening, Whichwaytothebeach paced Canada's first sub-1:50 mile of the season, taking race four in 1:49.2.  Sylvain Filion guided the six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding to the win for trainer Garry Merner and owner Gino Toscani. 

To view Saturday's Woodbine Mohawk Park results, click the following link:  Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada)