For the second straight week it was Team Christoforou capturing the $34,000 Preferred Trot with Spartan General at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Sent off as the even-money favourite, Spartan General got away fourth while Pikachu Hanover fired to the front and took the field to the quarter pole in :28.2 and the half in :58.1. Spartan General started a first-over rally going to the mid-way point, and he turned up the pressure on Pikachu Hanover who was still the leader to the three-quarter marker in 1:27. Spartan General dug down deep and kicked home in :27.4 en route to winning by a neck over the pylon-skimming Patriarch Hanover in 1:55. Oney Hall came on strong in the late stages of the contest and wound up finishing third.
Camilla Christoforou trains the five-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Severance for Charalambos Christoforou and Irvann Holdings Inc. The victory improved the gelding’s 2022 record to 2-1-0 from three assignments and it bumped his lifetime win total to 11. The $17,000 payday lifted his lifetime earnings to $165,030.
Its Eds Idea was a dominant winner in the $22,000 Pop Up Series final for $8,500 claimers winning by four lengths in a sharp clocking of 1:55.4 for driver Louis-Philippe Roy and trainer Patrick Shepherd. Sent off as the 5-2 favourite, the gelding battled with Sunny Bo to the quarter pole in :27.3 before releasing that foe to the front. Sunny Bo then sailed through middle splits of :57 and 1:27 before giving way to a host of challengers from the backfield. Its Ed Idea sprung loose in the lane and fired home in :28.3 to win over No Time At All and Elroy Shiner.
Robert and Ronald Woodburn of St. Thomas, ON owned the nine-year-old son of Western Ideal-Keystone Edna, who was claimed from the winning effort. The win was his first of the season and the 37th of his career. The $11,000 payday lifted his lifetime earnings over $240,000.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.