The Canadian Sired Graduate Series for four-year-olds kicked off during an action-packed Good Friday card of harness racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park on April 18.

The first leg of the series was comprised of two $25,000 divisions for trotters and one for the pacing mares.

Captain Wania (pictured above) circled the first field of a half a dozen trotters to pull off a 29-1 upset as the longest shot on the board for the husband and wife, driving and training team of Trevor and Shannon Henry.

Sid The Kid (Doug McNair) sprinted a :26.3 opening panel to land on top over Willowtime (Louis-Philippe Roy) who, with a headpole replacement after prompting a recall, looped to the lead at the half in :55.3. Down the backstretch, the popular two-time O'Brien Award winner Willys Home Run (James MacDonald) advanced first-over from fifth in her season's debut to apply pressure to Willowtime as they raced to three-quarters in 1:24. As those two battled into the stretch, Sid The Kid shot through at the pylons for a late lead, but the backfield was closing in after the hot early speed, with Captain Wania getting up in time for the upset in a new lifetime mark of 1:53 flat. Sid The Kid held on for second over closers Myretirementdream (Scott Young) and Masstercraft (Brett MacDonald).

Captain Wania was victorious in the first start of his four-year-old campaign following a six-figure debut season last year in which he won six of his 27 races. The gelded son of Resolve and Miss Everything is owned by Trevor Henry Stables Inc. of Arthur, Ont., James Fleming of Bayfield, Ont., and David Hudson of Dallas, Texas.

A $2 win bet on Captain Wania returned a whopping $60.10.

O'Brien Award finalist Paquet made a triumphant return in the second division for trotters, delivering as the heavy 1-5 favourite with Jody Jamieson driving for his father, Hall of Fame trainer Carl Jamieson.

Taking a brief tuck into fourth as the quarter went in :28.1 with the rain starting to fall, Paquet was on top before the next marker in :57.3 after Mrstery Deal (Todd Ratchford) and What About Elmo (Tyler Jones) traded turns on the lead early. Last year's Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final champion then trotted on to three-quarters in 1:26.2, putting away first-over challenger Hungry Hill (J.R. Plante) and drawing off down the stretch for the 2-1/2-length victory in 1:54 flat. R Peaky Blinders (Louis-Philippe Roy) closed off cover for second and Mrstery Deal came through at the pylons for third.

Unraced as a two-year-old, Paquet picked up cheques in all eight of his starts last year -- including four wins -- earning $344,432. The son of Muscle Mass out of Darjeeling is owned by Carl Jamieson along with the Estate of Brian Paquet of Quebec City, Que., 1140545 Ontario Ltd. of Guelph, Ont., and Douglas Good of Chatham, Ont.

Paquet paid $2.40 to win and $2.10 to place, with no show wagering.

Earlier on the card, Coco Jo Jo dominated a short field of five in the lone $25,000 distaff pacing division for driver James MacDonald and trainer Anthony Beaton.

Coco Jo Jo outsprinted slight 4-5 favourite Sorcha Seelster (Bob McClure) to the top into a :28.2 first quarter and never looked back, setting middle splits of :56.3 and 1:24.3 en route to a 2-1/2-length victory in a career-best clocking of 1:51.4. Sorcha Seelster drifted across the track off the final turn, losing the race for place to Collusion Hanover (Tyler Jones).

Owned and bred by Robert Bridges of Campbellville, Ont., the daughter of Betterthancheddar out of Marquise De Sarah is now two-for-four this year and has four wins overall from 31 starts as she nears the $200,000 earnings mark.

Coco Jo Jo paid $5.20 to win and $3 to place as the 8-5 second choice. There was no show wagering.

Older pacing mares competed in regular racing action with Century Jamila ($5.60) running her win streak to six, fighting off her stablemate Blue Pacific again in the $36,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace. The Dave Menary trainees have finished 1-2 in the top distaff class in their last three starts.

Catch-driver Tyler Borth hustled Glenboro to the lead from the outside post seven and put up a :27.4 opening panel before 9-5 favourite Century Jamila and Louis-Philippe Roy swept from third to first down the backstretch, reaching the half in :56.3. Her barn buddy Blue Pacific, driven by Doug McNair, came to play as they raced to three-quarters in 1:24 and the pair faced off in the stretch. In the end, Century Jamila persevered in a season's best 1:51.2 by a neck over Blue Pacific, with Lyons Bettorday (James MacDonald) joining the fray late off cover, another head back in a three-across finish.

Century Jamila, now seven-for-11 this year, is the top money-winning pacing mare is Canada so far this season, with $111,320 earned, accounting for a little over one-third of her career bankroll. The five-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight out of Exotic Pleasure is owned by Pollack Racing of Venetia, Pennsylvania.

Century Jamila returned $5.60 to win as the bettors' choice.

The second leg of the Ontario Sired Spring Series continued with the colts and geldings taking their turn in the spotlight on Friday following the filly divisions on Thursday. The series, with second leg divisions worth $18,000 each, is for Ontario-sired three-year-olds that were non-winners of $30,000 in 2024.

In the pacing division, Asiago Seelster ($6.20) and Bob McClure held off first round winner Bettorseetheshow (Doug McNair) when that one popped the pocket for the stretch drive, prevailing by half a length in a new mark of 1:52.3 with 9-5 favourite Mood Control (Louis-Philippe Roy) closing for third. Trainer John Pentland co-owns the Betterthancheddar-Aqua Rose gelding, who is now two-for-four after going unraced as a two-year-old, with Ontario-based partners R C Molyneux Racing of Sparta, Peter Charlton of St. Thomas and the Estate of Archie Leach of London.

In the first of two trotting splits, a first-over Modelo Gold ($10.30) and trainer/driver Dagfin Henriksen swept up from third and put away pacesetter Ramiro (Doug McNair) at the head of the stretch for his maiden-breaking victory in 1:55.1, finishing two lengths in front of the closing Fleetwood Mac (Bob McClure), with Green Monster (Phil Hudon) third. A nine-time starter who just missed by half a length in the opening round, the Muscle Mass-Right On Renee colt is owned by Henriksen and Gerald Haggerty of Camden East, Ont. The popular opening round winner, P L Spencer (Louis-Philippe Roy), broke stride into the first turn and again in the stretch, taking himself out of contention on this night.

In the final trotting division, Flanagan Sunshine ($8.30) and driver Phil Hudon turned back mid-race challenger Mr Ballykeel (Bob McClure) en route to victory in 1:55.3, with first leg upsetter Fast Snap (Paul Davies) edging out the hard-closing 3-5 favourite, Manforce (Jody Jamieson), for second 1-1/2 lengths behind. Rene Dion trains the Green Manalishi S-Flanagan Lady gelding, who was a close runner-up to Fast Snap last week and improved to two-for-nine lifetime, for owner/breeder Liette Flanagan of Repentigny, Que.

The Canadian Graduate Series for the trotters and pacing mares will continue next Friday, April 25 with $75,000 (added) finals on Saturday, May 3.

The $40,000 (added) finals of the Ontario Sired Spring Series will be held on Saturday, April 26.

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

(Standardbred Canada)