Whiskey Tax and Wrangler Magic shared the spotlight on Friday (October 14) at Mohawk Racetrack, winning a pair of Preferred events co-featured on the evening's harness racing program.
In the $34,000 Preferred Trot, driver Randy Waples hustled Whiskey Tax off the gate from post seven to establish the lead over insider Charmed Life (Paul MacDonell) heading to the first turn while 2-5 favourite Nahar (Jody Jamieson) broke stride. Whiskey Tax proceeded to lead the field of 10 through fractions of :28, :57.4 and 1:26.3 with Intimidate (Sylvain Filion) challenging to his outside. However, the intimidation tactics didn't faze Whiskey Tax as he kicked away by two and a quarter lengths down the stretch to win in 1:54.2. Intimidate followed in second and Rubber Duck (Chis Christoforou) closed late for third.
Whiskey Tax, who surpassed the million-dollar mark in career earnings with a runner-up finish in last week's Preferred, was the 5-1 second choice and returned $12.40 to win.
The eight-year-old Revenue S-Bourbon Belle gelding improved his season's record to 4-3-4 from 17 starts while pushing his annual income to $113,460. Tom Durand trains the trotter and shares ownership with his wife June and their partner Allan Smith.
The victory was the third on the night for Waples.
Sent postward as the longest shot on the board at odds of 13-1, Wrangler Magic and Hall of Fame driver Yves Filion emerged in a wild finish for the upset victory in the co-featured $30,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace. The Stephane Larocque trainee followed in third-place through fractions of :26.4, :55.3 and 1:23.4 before prevailing in a late-mile scrimmage over Sayitall Bb (Travis Cullen) and Ms Mac N Cheese (Sylvain Filion) by a nose for the 1:52 triumph.
Wrangler Magic returned $29 to her backers at the betting windows.
She has earned four wins in 18 starts this year while banking $81,710. The four-year-old Mach Three-Ja El Shamrock mare is owned by Thomas Kyron, Dr. Maurice Stewart, Brian Paquet, and Bayama Farms Inc.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack