Favourite A Class Yankee and longshot Love On Me claimed series titles on Friday night, Feb. 7 as Woodbine Mohawk Park hosted the finals of the Snowshoe and Blizzard events that were postponed due to fluctuating winter weather a week ago.

The Snowshoe and Blizzard Series were for three and four-year-old pacers that were non-winners of two races or $30,000 lifetime as of Oct. 31, 2024. 

A Class Yankee, winner of the Valedictory Series in late December, picked up another winter series title as he downed his main Snowshoe rival, G A Speed Expert, in the stretch of the $40,000 final for the driving and training team of Michael and Walter Whelan.

Beaten by just a half-length in the first leg of the series by the streaking G A Speed Expert, A Class Yankee got his revenge in their rematch. Both winners in separate second-leg splits two weeks ago, A Class Yankee came out on top in the final as the slight 7-5 favourite sat sixth behind fractions of :28.3 and :57.3 then rallied off the cover of Miki Ray (J Harris) past the 1:26.3 three-quarters mark and blew by the leading G A Speed Expert (Doug McNair) in the stretch for the 1:55 triumph. Betterdealmein (Travis Cullen) closed well outside of the winner and finished 1-1/4 lengths behind for the runner-up honours while G A Speed Expert settled for third with his win streak snapped at eight straight after being parked the first three-eighths of the mile out of post 10.

A Class Yankee notched his sixth career win to go along with 10 other top three finishes from 28 starts and earnings totalling $134,576. The four-year-old Always B Miki-Classy Chris gelding is owned by Christopher Nicol of Dundas, Ont.

The bettors' choice returned $4.90 to win.

There was a flurry of action from start to finish in the Blizzard final for the mares with the result coming down to a photo finish between double-digit longshots Love On Me and Absolution, with the former edging out the latter on the line.

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Driver Travis Cullen had Love On Me tracking a three-wide move by Absolution (Phil Hudon) from the backfield after an action-packed three-quarters, with the fractions clocked in :28.1, :58 and 1:27.2. Absolution overtook the front-striding Dirty Diana (Bob McClure) in the stretch with Love On Me taking aim and catching that 14-1 shot at the wire in 1:56 flat. In a show photo less than a length behind, a game Dirty Diana held off the late-closing 1-5 favourite, Oh A Legend (Tyler Borth), who was denied a series sweep.

Love On Me, who started the series with a close runner-up finish and was fifth in round two, paid $35.20 for the 16-1 upset in the finale.

Trainer David Holliday co-owns the four-year-old Stag Party-Odds On Abba mare with Ben Holliday of Mount Forest, Ont. Love On Me improved her career summary to 6-3-9 from 34 starts and raised her bankroll to $68,168.

In other series action, a Pop-Up event wrapped up with 5-2 second choice Hazee Coast and driver Tyler Borth emerging late in another exciting photo finish to win the $20,000 final in 1:56.3 by a head over 94-1 longshot Smiles For Miles (Bob McClure), who closed from 10th, and 4-5 favourite Why Wouldnt Ya (James MacDonald). Despite gapping cover turning for home, the grey gelding kicked into high gear late in the lane to get up in the nick of time for his first win of the year in four starts.

Mike Horner trains the four-year-old All Bets Off-Pantecostal son, who is now an eight-time winner from 40 starts with more than $60,000 banked, for owners Doug Wilson of Dorchester, Ont., and Mark Horner of St Marys, Ont.

This series was for four-year-olds and younger that were non-winners of $20,000 or not averaging $1,500 per start in a minimum of 10 starts in 2024. 

After a successful Fillies & Mares Preferred debut last time out, Seelster Farms' Blue Pacific continued her winning ways with a repeat score in this week's edition of the top distaff pace with Doug McNair driving for trainer Dave Menary.

Blue Pacific swept to the lead from an early three-hole after a :28.2 opening quarter and the 1-5 favourite set middle splits of :57.2 and 1:25.4 en route to the 1-1/2-length victory in 1:54.3. The millionaire So Much More (James MacDonald) held off rivals on both sides for the runner-up honours, edging out Lyons Bettorday (Tyler Jones) and Glenboro (Travis Cullen) in the place photo.

Pacific Blue paid just $2.50 to win. From five starts this year, the four-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou out of Miss Jones has won four straight races. The lion's share of the $36,000 purse from her ninth career win boosted her seasonal earnings to $68,000 while her lifetime bankroll now sits just shy of the $400,000 mark.

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

(Standardbred Canada)