Whiskey Tax and Arthur Blue Chip hauled home winning efforts in their respective $34,000 Preferred contests Saturday evening at Woodbine Racetrack, and both performers used front-end tactics to secure their wins.

Whiskey Tax and driver Sylvain Filion went to the front and didn’t look back against some of the WEG circuit’s leading trotters. The gelding pressed to the front from Post 6 and led the group through fractions of :26, :56.2 and 1:27 before firing home in :27.3 to win by a length over Damfoolrmillionair. Catch The Dream rallied late to get third.

Sent off as the even-money favourite, the seven-year-old son of Revenue S-Bourbon Belle delivered his fourth win of the season and the 13th to date for trainer/co-owner Tom Durand and partners June Durand and Allan Smith. To date, the veteran has banked in excess of $870,000.

Arthur Blue Chip powered to the top from Post 8, and once he cleared it was game over. Chris Christoforou had him parked and driving at the quarter pole in :25.3 before finding the pylons and supplying middle fractions of :54.1 and 1:23. A :27.3 final frame was just enough for the OSS grad to win by three-quarters of a length over Ellis Park in 1:50.3. Duc Dorleans was a lapped-on third.

It was the second win of the season in five tries – and the eighth to date – for the former O’Brien Award winner. Dr. Ian Moore trains the career winner of $437,190 for the Shadow One Stable of Guelph, ON.

To view results for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.