Three weeks of rest didn't scare the wagering public off the bandwagon of Taurasi, winner of his last three appearances in the Preferred Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
On Saturday, Jan. 27, Taurasi was sent off at 1-9 in the $36,000 Preferred Pace at Mohawk and that three-week layoff didn't leave the free-for-aller short in his return.
Driver Doug McNair settled Taurasi into fourth early as Poseidon Seelster (Tyler Moore) powered through the first panel in :26.4. Codename Cigar Box (Travis Cullen) advanced from third to the lead and landed on top through a :56 half, with Taurasi into the outer flow as well.
Codename Cigar Box maintained his advantage through a 1:23.4 third station, but McNair methodically maintained a steady approach with Taurasi and eventually surged past in deep stretch for the half-length win in 1:51.3. Cold Creek Queso (Jody Jamieson) split through horses to complete the triactor ticket.
Taurasi (Racing Hill - Voluminous) is trained by Richard Moreau for Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. and Alagna Racing LLC of Jackson, N.J. The win brings the five-year-old gelding's career totals to 14 victories and $437,321 in purses. He returned $2.20 on a $2 win ticket.
The tally with Taurasi kicked off a training triple for Moreau on Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park, The track's top conditioner also scored with Twin B Powerball (1:54.3; $2.60) in the seventh race and Somewherentuscany (1:54.4; $5.30) in the penultimate dash of the evening. James MacDonald engineered both of these victories for Moreau, who tops the local charts with 19 wins and more than $275,000 in earnings thus far in 2024.
For the results from Saturday's card of harness racing at Mohawk, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)
A record handle?
Last night's handle at Mohawk was just short of $3.9 million. I wonder if that was the highest handle on a January harness racing program held anywhere in North America in history. To keep things in perspective though, yesterday's handle at Gulfstream Park, a thoroughbred track in South Florida, was $47.3 million.