After what has essentially been a two-year hiatus from pari-mutuel racing, one of Woodbine Mohawk Park’s top trotters returned to his home track during the Thursday (Oct. 17) qualifying session at the Campbellville, Ont. oval and promptly notched a win.
Who is the trotter in question? The Jeff Durham-trained and Paul MacDonell-driven Windsun Revenge.
Prior to Thursday morning, Windsun Revenge had last recorded a charted line (which was in a qualifier) in October of 2018. In terms of his last pari-mutuel starts, Windsun Revenge had raced in the 2017 Maple Leaf Trot, and then again seven months later in a Mohawk preferred (April, 2018), but nothing since then.
Last year, Durham told Trot Insider that Windsun Revenge had injured himself during the April 2018 preferred. The trainer stated that the gelding didn’t owe the connections anything, and that they were going to be very careful with the career winner of 19 races and $472,000 in purses.
Durham, who co-owns Windsun Revenge with Robert Van Camp, opted to try his pupil back Thursday at Mohawk, and although a stern headwind greeted the horses in the stretch during the session, the gelding was up for the challenge. The gusty breeze was enough for the presiding judges to give the ‘fast’ track a two-second allowance in time for the session.
Windsun Revenge took to the track for the last of the session’s seven races, and although he had been scheduled to start from the outside Post 8, two scratches reduced the field to six, which brought MacDonell and his charge just to the right of the starting car.
(Please note that the race in question starts at the one-hour mark of the video.)
MacDonell floated his brown charge out when the gate pulled away and quickly nestled him into third. The duo trotted in the three hole through the :29.3 quarter and past the half-mile indicator, which was clicked off in :59.4.
MacDonell allowed a first-over attacker to pass him and make his way up to the leaders on the turn. It was on the final bend that MacDonell tipped Windsun Revenge overland and then three-deep soon after.
After having done all of the work on the engine, the Doug McNair-driven Bella Plunkett clicked off three quarters in 1:30. MacDonell gave Windsun Revenge clear track to work with as the field hit the head of the lane. Knowing what to do, Windsun Revenge dug into stretch and looked to dispose of his foes.
Windsun Revenge was well within himself through the lane. MacDonell had deployed the earplugs, but didn’t have to urge his charge through the final quarter.
When all was said and done, Windsun Revenge posted a one and three-quarter-length win in 2:00.4.
To view the harness racing results for the Thursday qualifying session at Mohawk, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.