Returning to the WEG circuit after racing at Yonkers and The Meadowlands for the majority of the past season, Frankies Dragon prevailed off a pocket trip as the 3-2 favourite in this week's $34,000 Preferred Handicap Pace at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday night.
Riding a three-race win streak, Camaes Fellow (Jonathan Drury) was caught wide leaving from outside his seven rivals, but forged on to take the lead into the first turn with the former Beat The Heat Pacing Series champion Frankies Dragon settling into the pocket from post six for driver Doug McNair.
The first quarter was a quick :26.3 during which Nickle Bag (Trevor Henry) found himself parked out from the seven-hole. Forced to drive on, Nickle Bag worked up alongside the leader by the :55.3 half-mile mark.
As Camaes Fellow raced to three-quarters in 1:22.4 with Nickle Bag looming to his outside, Wazzup Wazzup (Randy Waples) joined the outer flow.
The persistent Nickle Bag would not throw in the towel and raced gamely right to the wire overtaking the pacesetter, but Frankies Dragon shot through along the pylons to prevail in 1:50.4. Nickle Bag was second by half a length over Musselsfrmbrussels (Simon Allard), who closed late from the back of the pack for third. Camaes Fellow finished two lengths behind in fourth. Avatartist (Mike Saftic) was fifth-placed-eighth for causing interference in the stretch and as a result Machal Jordan (Roger Mayotte) was moved into the top five finishers.
Tony O'Sullivan trains Frankies Dragon, a six-year-old son of Dragons Again owned by Joseph Martinelli of Staten Island, New York. The pacer has won 24 races and nearly $340,000 in purses during his career.
Frankies Dragon paid $5 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.