Round two of the Blizzard Series went postward Thursday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and the opening division featured a match-up of week one winners Vintage Whey and Sugar Dance.
Vintage Whey was sent off as the even-money favourite in the eight-horse affair, but it was Sugar Dance pulling off the 7-1 upset for the tandem of driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Ed Hennessey.
Jamieson left sharply from Post 7 with Sugar Dance, who landed in the pocket and managed to track a front-stepping Shesonehotwriter through fractions of :27, :56.3 and 1:25.1. Jamieson popped his charge to the outside in the lane and she fired home in :27.1 to win by four lengths over Playa Duharas in 1:52.3. Betsea rounded out the Trifecta ticket, while the favoured Vintage Whey came on late to be fourth in the $18,000 affair.
The four-year-old daughter of Ghees House-Sugar Biscuit is owned by Michigan partners Sandra Hennessey and Paula Sugars. The mare is now 2-for-3 this season and 6-for-13 in her career. The $9,000 payday lifted her lifetime earnings to $33,010.
Back In The Game used the exact same trip to come through as the 4-5 favourite in the second division, and in doing so she put herself in position to sweep the series.
A 1:56.4 winner in last week’s opening leg assignment, Back In The Game enjoyed a two-hole trip for driver Doug McNair behind Morning Has Broken. That front-stepper served up fractions of :27.4, :59 and 1:27.1 before coming under attack from the pocket-sitting Back In The Game. She used a :27-second final quarter to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Morning Has Broken. Sirius Star took home the show dough.
Tony O’Sullivan trains the four-year-old daughter of Articulator-Troxel Hanover for owners Kevin Harvey of Hammonds Plains, NS and Charles Bowlin of Grand Barachois, NB. The eight-time winner has banked over $33,000 to date.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.