The Harvest Series for two-year-old colts and geldings kicked off on Thursday, Oct. 23 at Woodbine Mohawk Park with a single division for trotters and two for pacers.
Anibal Duharas rallied late to win the $20,000 trotting division. The colt, coming into the race off his first career victory in his Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Consolation, set up shop in third for Louis-Philippe Roy through fractions of :27.1, :56.2, and 1:25.1. He steadily gained on leaders Wolverine Legend (Trevor Henry) and Sendi Ka (Doug McNair) down the stretch but was still third and 2-1/4 lengths back with an eighth of a mile remaining. Anibal Duharas caught fire in deep-stretch though, and he soared by that pair on the outside to win by a half-length in 1:55.1. Sendi Ka out-finished Wolverine Legend for second.
Anibal Duharas has now won two of eight starts as a rookie for trainer Kyle Fellows and owner Westover De L’Estrie Inc. of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. The son of Green Manalishi S-Cleopatre Duharas has earned $34,550. He paid $6 to win.
Lous Game took the faster of two $20,000 Harvest Series pacing divisions. He held command on a loose lead through :27, :55.1, and 1:23.4 fractions and was never in danger on his way to a three-length victory in 1:52.1. Scorpion Seelster (Jody Jamieson) finished second, followed by Twin B John B (Roy).
McNair piloted Lous Game, a son of Dancin Lou-Firebby A, for trainer Garry Merner and owner-breeder David Kryway of Amherstberg, Ont. The gelding is now two-for-10 with $35,550 in earnings. The win price was $9.80.
Letr Sink Son pulled off a 50-1 stunner in the second pacing split as he rallied from fifth at the eighth pole to victory. Travis Henry dropped the gelding back from post one and had him positioned eighth through contested early panels of :27 and :55.1. Letr Sink Son angled out third-over nearing three-quarters in 1:24.1 and picked up speed as he pulled into clear racetrack at the top of the lane. He hit top gear in mid-stretch, accompanied by fellow closer Evans Legacy (Bob McClure), and surged past weary leader Barracuda Hanover (Tyler Borth) to win by a half-length in 1:53. Barracuda Hanover hung on for second over Evans Legacy.
Letr Sink Son won for the second time in five starts and increased his bankroll to $17,480. Boyd Wilson of Fergus, Ont. trains the son of Big Jim-Off The Shoulder and shares ownership with Randy Wilson of Prince George, B.C. The toteboard lit up with the $2 win payout of $103.30.
The Harvest Series is for Ontario-sired horses that are non-winners of $30,000 this year as of Sept. 30. The series for rookie males will continue on Oct. 30 at Mohawk.
Aquinas Hanover ($8.60) went all the way in the $40,000 Pop-Up Series Final, holding on by a head to win in a career-best 1:50. James MacDonald drove the sophomore son of Bettors Delight-Allamerican Coed for trainer Justin Turcotte and owner Gestion J Y Blais Inc. of Montreal, Que. Out Of Ice (Jamieson) was second, followed by Boxer Seelster (Trevor Henry). The series was for Ontario-sired three-year-old pacing males that were non-winners of $100,000 this season as of Oct. 1 or were in for a $50,000 claiming tag.
Up next at Woodbine Mohawk Park is Breeders Crown weekend, beginning on Friday at 6:35 p.m. The opening night of the two-day event will now feature a carryover in the Early Pick-5 and Pick-6 pools.
The victory of Letr Sink Son on Thursday helped towards a carryover for both the Pick-5 and Pick-6, as no horseplayers were able to sweep the respective sequences. With an already-enhanced wagering menu, Friday night’s Breeders Crown card now includes a carryover of $46,241.43 for the Early Pick-5 and a carryover of $15,970.11 for the Pick-6. The Early Pick-5, which has a guaranteed pool of $100,000, starts in Race 1, while the Pick-6 begins in Race 4 at 7:55 p.m. Both wagers feature a $0.20 minimum and a 15 per cent takeout. The wagering menu for Friday also includes a $100,000 guaranteed Middle Pick-5 (Races 6-10).
All four $959,000 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Finals will be held on the Friday program, carded as Races 6-9.
To view Thursday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Anibal Duharas winning on Oct. 23)