Driver James MacDonald celebrated his birthday in the winner's circle after guiding favourite So Much More to victory in the $32,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Handicap Pace featured on the foggy Friday night (January 10) program at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Caught three-wide through the first turn, So Much More kept on rolling and took over command after Kendall Seelster cleared Double A Mint at the :27.2 quarter pole. The bettors' choice continued to lead through middle splits of :57.2 and 1:26 and was clear in the drive to the wire to score by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:54.2.
Double A Mint shook loose in the stretch and rallied on to nab second-place honours ahead of Kendall Seelster while drifting towards the center of the track.
So Much More was sent postward as the even-money favourite following back-to-back December wins and a closing third-place finish in her season's debut last week behind Youaremycandygirl and Kendall Seelster. She paid $4.20 to win.
The victory was the 20th lifetime for the four-year-old Big Jim mare, who has banked $264,170 across 36 starts.
Trainer Don Beatson shares ownership with Kenneth Beatson of Palgrave, Ont., and Cole England of Exeter, Ont.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.