Woodbine Mohawk Park hosted the opening leg of the Harvest Series for Ontario-sired or Ontario-bred two-year-old colts and geldings on Friday, Oct. 16.

There were two $25,000 divisions for trotters and a pair for the pacers in the first leg of the conditioned series, which is for non-winners of $30,000 in 2026 as of midnight Sept. 30. 

Erinwood Triton ($3.30) took the fastest trotting tilt as the 3-5 favourite won easily by more than four lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:56 in rein to Travis Henry. The Trixton-Angelina Hanover gelding set uncontested panels of :28.3, :58 and 1:27 en route to notching his first victory since his successful career debut back on June 29. Trainer Mark Etsell shares ownership of the nine-time starter with Robert Newton of Walkerton, Ont., Dawn Burnett of Mildmay, Ont., and Grant Turner of Georgetown, Ont. Rally Kalle (Scott Young) recovered from an early miscue and won the race for place over pocket-sitter Hopes Eternal (J.R. Plante).

In the other trotting division, Floriet ($9.10) and driver Travis Cullen nailed 8-5 favourite Manking (James MacDonald) in a photo finish for a maiden-breaking victory, rallying from third in the final turn to collar the race leader in 1:57.1. Trained by Shawn Steacy and owned by Natasha Steacy of Millgrove, Ont., the homebred Trixton-Goingwiththeflo colt, who was a late-closing show finisher in Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots competition on Sept. 20, picked up his first win in his seventh start. D A Volusia (Jody Jamieson) closed within a length for third.

HP Follow Me ($5.50) was another first-time winner with a 1:53 front-end effort in the quickest pacing division with Jody Jamieson in the bike. He was on top by the quarter in :27.1 and set middle splits of :57.1 and 1:25.2 before turning back first-over challenger Luv Lou (Trevor Henry) of the final turn. Pocket-sitter Pownalbay Jimbob (Travis Cullen) chased 1-1/4 lengths behind in second with Sauble Kowalski (Scott Young) closing off cover for third. Chantal Mitchell trains the Cattlewash-HP Bellamy gelding, who hit the board in three Grassroots legs, for breeder Claude Hamel, Orford, Que., and co-owner Jean Denis Pelletier of Shefford, Que.

Favourite Cattle Tori Two ($4.60) and driver Daryl Thiessen came up just a head short at the wire in 1:54.4 after rallying off cover down the stretch outside of pacesetter Aussie Pharoah (Doug McNair), but was interfered with by that drifting front-end foe and declared the winner after a judges placing. Aussie Pharoah was disqualified and placed second while Untold Story (Jody Jamieson) followed back in third from the pocket. A homebred for M&S Racing Stable of Rockwood, Ont., the Cattlewash-Sporty Tori gelding now has three (consecutive) wins from nine starts for trainer Josh McKibbin.

The Harvest Series will continue with a second preliminary leg and a $60,000 final for each division.

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

(Standardbred Canada; photo of Erinwood Triton winning on Oct. 16)