Millionaire Emoticon Legacy earned his first victory of the season in a 1:50.3 statement in the $44,000 Open Trot while Absolution and Crack Shot posted matching 1:49.2 miles in their respective Open Paces on Saturday, Aug. 8 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

After rallying to finish second behind three-time O'Brien Award-winning trotting titan Logan Park in his first two starts this season, Determination's homebred Emoticon Legacy turned the tables on his rival and snapped Logan Park's four-race win streak by way of a bold three-wide move on the far turn and :26.4 stretch speed.

Bob McClure got Emoticon Legacy away fifth from the pole in a :26.2 first-quarter sprint as 1-4 favourite Logan Park (Doug McNair) forged clear. Logan Park faced sustained pressure from the first-over Osceola (Jody Jamieson) past the :54.4 half and into the far turn. As Osceola began to fade with five-sixteenths to go, McClure launched Emoticon Legacy three-wide around him to take aim at the softened Logan Park, and the four-year-old son of Walner-Emoticon Hanover lifted late to upend Logan Park, who finished a beaten third, with 70 yards to go. Major Velocity (Trevor Henry) hooked three-wide out of the pocket and likewise lunged to collar Logan Park for second, beaten three-quarters of a length.

Luc Blais trains Emoticon Legacy, the 2025 Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year who has now won 12 of 20 career starts and banked $1,578,212. He paid $8 to win as the 3-1 second choice.

In the $44,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace, Absolution parlayed a pocket trip into her fifth win of the season and her third from her last four starts.

Trevor Henry put Absolution in play from the far outside post eight and the pair vaulted clear of Simply The Best (Louis-Philippe Roy) to control a :26.2 quarter before yielding to 18-1 shot Grit N Grace (Jody Jamieson), who brushed from third upon reaching the backstretch, just before the :54.1 half. Absolution was boxed midway around the far turn as even-money favourite Lets N Joy N (J.R. Plante) mounted sustained first-over inroads to three-quarters in 1:22, but the five-year-old McWicked-Bet Ya mare found a seam up the pegs as Grit N Grace was engulfed in upper stretch, accelerated through to strike the front just inside the eighth pole, and beat the late-lifting Verity Blue Chip (Doug McNair) to the wire by three-quarters of a length. Lets N Joy N finished a respectable third after her long uncovered gains.

Jack Moiseyev trains 16-time career winner Absolution, who has earned $397,240 while competing as a homebred for Joanne Colville of Moffat, Ont., and Nancy MacNevin of Essex, Ont. She paid $11.10 to win as the 9-2 second choice on the tote board.

In the $44,000 Open Pace, odds-on choice Crack Shot and driver Doug McNair were repeat winners, mounting a first-over ascent through the far turn and showcasing a :26 closing kick to upend Century Komodo (Louis-Philippe Roy) by three-quarters of a length in a speedy stretch showdown.

After floating forward from post six, Crack Shot tucked in fourth in the seven-horse field as 3-1 second choice Century Komodo drilled a :26.4 quarter while shaded by Dublin Dasher (Travis Cullen). Century Komodo got away with a :28.2 second-quarter breather before McNair slid Crack Shot first-over with three-eighths to go. The four-year-old Bettors Delight-Beautyonthebeach entire shifted gears to steadily erase his five-length deficit, collaring Century Komodo with 150 yards to go and edging away late to prevail by three-quarters of a length. Longshot Vessem N (J.R. Plante) rallied hard from last to finish third.

Now a four-time winner this season in nine starts after his O'Brien Award-winning sophomore campaign, Crack Shot has won 15 races lifetime and banked $860,403 while competing under the guidance of trainer Gregg McNair, who shares ownership with Dale Hunter of London, Ont., Frank Brundle of East Garafraxa, Ont., and George Kerr of Gowanstown, Ont. He paid $2.70 to win as the overwhelming public choice.

To view Saturday's complete harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada; photo of Emoticon Legacy winning on Aug. 8)