Devils Arch got an aggressive steer from Louis-Philippe Roy despite his 8-1 price tag and prevailed in the $40,000 Open Trot for his fourth victory in his last five starts on Sunday, March 8 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The gelding initially dropped in third while Mr Bluebird (Travis Cullen) charged out to lead to the quarter in :27.2, but Devils Arch pulled out entering the backstretch and shot to the front. Odds-on favourite Safe Conduct (Bob McClure) then mobilized from third to go on the attack, but he found an unyielding leader and raced first-up past the half in :56.2.

Safe Conduct broke stride as they rounded the last turn, leaving Devils Arch on a comfortable lead to three-quarters in 1:24.2. The pacesetter pulled away from pocket-sitter Mr Bluebird down the stretch, and he foiled the rush of Hasty Bid (James MacDonald) by a half-length to win in 1:53.3. Sid The Kid (Tyler Borth) finished third.

Devils Arch is five-for-nine this season and has won two of his three Open starts since his debut in the class on Feb. 22. Jean-Francois Maguire of Carlisle, Ont., trains the gelding and partners in ownership with Jean Allaire of Montreal, Que., G T Stables of Saint-Placide, Que. and Jocelyn Marois of Thetford Mines, Que. The son of Archangel-Bobbi Jos Ex has won 22 of his 77 career starts and has now earned $309,836. He paid $18.60 to win.

Mohawk Park hosted its annual International Women's Day race, featuring a field of 10 female drivers in the third race on the card. Julie Walker, the winner of the 2024 edition, was triumphant again as she piloted The Colt to victory in the $12,000 event for $8,000 claimers. She hustled the 10-year-old gelding away from post five and forced Redland Wrangler (Anita Ouellette) into the pocket on the way to the quarter in :27.4. Britt Kennedy then drove on with 9-5 choice Yyc On The Horizon, keeping him off the cones and working him to the lead before the half in :56.3. 

The top two split from the rest as they went to three-quarters in 1:26, with Walker holding the pocket with The Colt and opting for the inside path in the stretch. The Colt steamrolled past Yyc On The Horizon up the pylons, and the backfield was too late as he held on over the surging Rays Kredit (Marielle Enberg) to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.2. Yyc On The Horizon finished third. 

The Colt, a son of Dudes The Man-Silkys Lady, took his 22nd lifetime victory in 145 starts and increased his earnings to $118,420. Gordon Ley of Odessa, Ont., trains the gelding and co-owns him with Mackenzie Ley of Amherstview, Ont.

Walker became the first repeat winner of the International Women's Day event, which has been held annually at Mohawk since 2022. The 2026 field also included Pam Forgie, Natasha Day, Jessica Turenne, Amy MacDonald, Anne Marie Turenne, and Maggie Jones.

Winchester Phoenix ($13.40) won the $25,000 Pop-Up Series Final, motoring off cover to score by a length in 1:53.3 for driver Roy and trainer Dominic Gladu. Delightful Leader ($5.50) took the $18,000 consolation. The series was for pacing horses and geldings that had started for a purse of $9,000 or less or were averaging less than $1,000 in earnings per start this year. Winners over $50,000 in 2025 were ineligible.

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

(Standardbred Canada)