The year changed but the form remained the same for Chic Choc Rose as she took the $22,000 featured claiming handicap on Monday, Jan. 5 at Woodbine Mohawk Park for her sixth win in her last nine outings.
A half-dozen $50,000 to $60,000 claiming trotters lined up behind the gate with Chic Choc Rose (pictured above) tabbed as the 1-5 favourite with James MacDonald behind the lines from post five. The plugs were out on Chic Choc Rose off the wings as MacDonald pointed the public's choice to the front, moving around Veracruz (Billy Davis Jr.) to cut the quarter in a tepid :29.1. Chic Choc Rose put up a matching second quarter to reach the half in :59.2 before hitting the accelerator, trotting 1-1/2 lengths clear to three-quarters in 1:27.4 while Veracruz raced to the inside of Flashchap (Bob McClure) in second.
Sprinting for home, Chic Choc Rose opened up by 2-1/2 lengths midway though the lane while Flashchap moved into second and Sunday Shoes (Doug McNair) shook off the cones from fourth and began to rally. Chic Choc Rose coasted home from there, winning by a measured half-length in 1:55.4 over a hard-charging Sunday Shoes with Flashchap finishing third behind rivals.
One of two winners on the night for trainer Dave Menary, Chic Choc Rose is owned by the Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania and Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. The now four-year-old daughter of Royalty For Life-Torches Angel has won 14 of 29 races lifetime and banked $126,632 in her career.
The race 10 finale also featured a $22,000 purse with a field of 10 trotters who were non-winners of three or $72,000 lifetime where Wisdom Hanover overcame the outside post to score the victory.
Driver Bob McClure settled Wisdom Hanover mid-pack and into fifth on the first turn while Devastate (Travis Henry) set the tempo from the rail through a hot :27.2 opening quarter. Devastate remained loose on the lead to the half in :56.3 when the outer flow began to develop with Wisdom Hanover third-over at three-quarters in 1:26.2 as the field began to swarm the leader.
Wisdom Hanover tipped four-deep turning for home and began to gobble up ground with Devastate beginning to tire. Trotting home in :28.1, Wisdom Hanover stormed to a two-length victory in a career best 1:55.2 over Radcliffe (Bert Renaud) and Royal Beluga (Mark Etsell), who both rallied from the backfield.
Cindy Horner of Monaghan, Ont. owns and trains Wisdom Hanover, a four-year-old daughter of Greenshoe-Winbak Maya. With the victory, Wisdom Hanover has won four of 21 starts lifetime, good for career earnings of $68,040. She paid $7.60 to win at the betting windows.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)