Driver James MacDonald had no issues heating up on a winter evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park, winning five races on the night including the $22,000 co-featured conditioned trot on the card with Chic Choc Rose on Monday, Dec. 8. 

A field of 10 trotters went postward in the co-feature for non-winners of three races (four for fillies & mares) or $50,000 (Ontario-sired $62,500) lifetime or in for a tag of $60,000. Chic Choc Rose was tabbed as the 8-5 favourite from post three, trotting away in fifth on the first turn while 25-1 longshot Cartel Lindy (Travis Henry) led through a :28.2 first quarter. Supersonic Hanover (Daryl Thiessen) moved to the lead from the pocket off the first turn, reaching the half in :57.3 before taking pressure from a first-over Flashcap (Louis-Philippe Roy) with Chic Choc Rose following that cover at three-quarters in 1:26.4. 

Flashcap grabbed a short lead at the head of the stretch briefly before Chic Choc Rose began to vault off her back. Trotting home in :28.4, Chic Choc Rose rocketed clear and reached the line 2-1/2 lengths clear of Flashcap, who held off a hard-charging Wisdom Hanover (Bob McClure) for second. 

Chic Choc Rose (pictured above) has won four of her last six starts and nine of 21 on the season. The three-year-old daughter of Royalty For Life-Torches Angel is trained by Dave Menary for owners Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania and Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

Chic Choc Rose was the third winner on the evening for MacDonald, who already had wins with Dusty Lane Levi ($2.70, 1:54.2) for trainer Bo Ford and Crypto Hanover ($4.70, 1:57.2) for trainer Dr. Peter Johnston. MacDonald then teamed up with trainer Garry Merner to sweep the late double with Bronx Drifter ($3.90, 1:54.2) and Moving On Over ($2.90, 1:53.3).

The other $22,000 trotting co-feature with the same condition as won by Chic Choc Rose went to Veracruz and driver Billy Davis Jr. as the 6-5 slight favourite. 

Leaving from post five, Veracruz landed in the pocket behind Ultra Myles (Roy) as the 10 trotters went past the quarter in :28.1. Veracruz vacated the pocket and assumed command on the backstretch only to immediately surrender it to P L Robert G (Tyler Borth), who trotted by to the top at the half in :58. P L Robert G raced to three-quarters on the lead in 1:27.3 with Veracruz stalking intently from second.

Once in the lane, Veracruz tipped from the pocket while 26-1 shot The Bear A Cuda (Chris Christoforou) made it a three-across battle on the outside. With Veracruz bearing down, P L Robert G jumped it off in the late stages of the mile, allowing Veracruz to coast to a two-length victory in 1:56.3. The Bear A Cuda was second, with Ultra Myles placed third over after the disqualification of the breaking P L Robert G. 

Veracruz is trained and co-owned by Timothy Cherwaiko of Cambridge, Ont., along with Gary Green of Puslinch, Ont. The four-year-old Father Patrick-Valdonna gelding has won four of 36 races in 2025, good for seasonal earnings of $79,509.

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

(Standardbred Canada)