Usain Hanover left the field in the dust as the 16-1 longshot dashed clear by four lengths in the stretch to win the $40,000 Open Trot on Sunday, Feb. 1 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Starting from the inside, J.R Plante held the gelding behind the early action in fifth, with New Rules (Doug McNair) producing :27.1 speed to the quarter to secure the front over favourite Mr Bluebird (Travis Cullen). Hasty Bid brushed from third on the backstretch but required strong encouragement from James MacDonald to finally clear past the midway point in :56.1.

Usain Hanover started up on the final turn but was forced three-wide by the emerging Mr Bluebird before sliding in behind that rival for cover to three-quarters in 1:25.2. Usain Hanover shifted out once more at the head of the stretch and flew to the front, motoring home under wraps to complete a 1:54.1 victory. Safe Conduct (Bob McClure) rallied for place over Mr Bluebird.

Usain Hanover, after breaking stride in his previous two starts, registered his first career win in a top-level overnight event and his third victory since coming under the care of trainer Dave Menary last fall. The five-year-old has won 14 times in 46 lifetime starts and has earned $393,421. Pollack Racing LLC of Venetia, Pa. owns the son of Bar Hopping-Up Front Hotsey. The sixth choice in a field of seven, Usain Hanover returned $35.40 at the windows.

The victory put the cherry on top of a triple for Menary and Pollack Racing. They first scored with Madam X ($4.20) in the second $12,000 division of the Pop-Up Series first leg. Driven by James MacDonald, the five-year-old daughter of Bettors Wish-Ahtziri Hanover took the lead entering the first turn and remained in control throughout to score by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:54. She made her debut for Menary on Jan. 23 after more than four months on the shelf and is now two-for-two for the conditioner.

Menary and Pollack Racing's other winner was Cover Band ($3), who won the fifth race in 1:57.2. The trainer is winning at a 37.8 per cent rate in 2026 with 14 victories in 37 starts. He is second in the Mohawk standings, trailing Jodie Cullen by 12 wins.

The other Pop-Up Series winners were Bettor B Going ($4.80) and Hazee Coast ($6.80). The series is for pacers that have started for a purse of $9,000 or less in their last three starts or are non-winners of $20,000 in 2025 in a minimum of 10 starts. Winners of more than $50,000 last year are ineligible.

To view Sunday’s harness racing entries, click the following link: Sunday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada)