Eastie Boy stayed strong down the lane to take all the spoils in the Grade 1 $1 million Metro Pace on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

With the scratch of unbeaten Shalom Hanover, the door was open for nine other rookies to step up and seize the moment in the preeminent classic for two-year-old pacers, and Eastie Boy shone brightest.

Th Theo (Doug McNair) stormed off the gate and settled on top shortly after the starter car pulled away. Eastie Boy, the 3-5 mutuel choice, chased the early leader into the first turn, and then took command past the opening quarter in :27.1. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. slowed the tempo along the backstretch with Th Theo in the pocket to the half in :55.4.

Eastie Boy, fresh off his sharp Metro Pace elimination score one week earlier, was still calling the shots through three-quarters in 1:22.4 but found himself the target of rivals on both sides, including an outside bid from Global Choice (James MacDonald). Th Theo endeavoured to reel in the leader in mid-stretch, but Eastie Boy, under urging from Wrenn, found enough to fend off his foe, going on to secure a three-quarter-length win in a career-best 1:49.2. Th Theo was second with Global Choice third.

"The colt was awesome tonight,” said Wrenn, who earned his first Metro Pace trophy. “Proud of him. He raced great. I was confident I had a lot of go, but it seemed like Dougie (McNair, driving Th Theo) had a lot of go too, so I wasn't sure until I got near the wire. But this colt's been racing great all year, and he's peaking at the right time.”

A son of Sweet Lou out of the Rockin Image mare Rockin Racer, Eastie Boy is a full brother to two-time Dan Patch Award winner Louprint. He is trained by Ron Burke for owner-breeders Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Phillip Collura.

"It means the world to us,” said Burke, who also celebrated his first Metro Pace triumph. “Sweet Lou has been the reason we became breeders. We wanted to support him, and it turned out to be the best thing we ever did because he has supported us all the way. So, you know, with it being Sweet Lou, it's always means way more to me than any of the other horses."

Eastie Boy, who also took wins in the Arden Downs and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, now has a Metro Pace title to add to his list of accomplishments.

"It's unbelievable to have Louprint's brother do it,” said Collura, who co-owns the 2025 North America Cup winner. “He was super. He raced great, and like Ronnie said, we didn't think he was as good as Louprint, but he's been getting better and better as we're going along.”

With the victory, Eastie Boy is now 4-2-1 from nine starts with $747,653 in earnings. He paid $3.20 for the win.

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

(Woodbine)