Nijinsky looked in top form in his second start off a 12-week layoff on Saturday, Oct. 4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park as he uncorked a 1:47.4 mile in the $40,000 Open Pace.
Louis-Philippe Roy adopted a conservative early strategy, taking a tight hold on the 2024 North America Cup champion and slotting him in sixth while four horses gunned out for the early lead. Calicojack Hanover (Chris Christoforou) came out on top after the quarter in :27, becoming the race’s fourth leader, but Nijinsky was already out and rolling, and he blasted to the front on the backstretch.
Nijinsky rattled off :54 and 1:21.3 middle splits and had a :26.1 kicker in reserve, giving his foes no chance as he stormed home to a three-length victory. Calicojack Hanover was second, followed by Dublin Dasher. The winner returned $3.40.
Nijinsky has won three times this season in seven starts, with two of those victories coming in the Graduate Series. He went on hiatus following his show finish in the Graduate final on July 5 and finished second in his return last week. The four-year-old, trained by Tony Beaton, has tallied 15 wins and $1,950,551 in earnings in 34 career starts. The son of Bettors Delight-Pirouette Hanover is owned by West Wins Stable of Wellington, Fla., John Fielding of Scarborough, Ont., Mark Dumain of Pine Bush, N.Y., and Winbak Farm of Chesapeake City, Md.
Absolution rushed past rivals at the pylons to nab the twin feature, the $40,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace. Bob McClure settled her into third early before the mare was shuffled back a spot as Caviar N Crackers (Ed Hensley) drove on to take over past the first station in :27.3. There was no action in the field of six through the half in :55.2, and Absolution remained on the pegs as an outer flow formed and the group went three-by-three to three-quarters in 1:23.3. Absolution was locked in at the top of the lane, but she swelled up as the inside path opened, and she got past Grit N Grace (Jody Jamieson) on the line to win by a head in 1:50. Tells On A Roll (Travis Cullen) was a closing third.
Absolution improved to 10-for-34 lifetime and lifted her bankroll to $154,960 for owner-breeders Joanne Colville of Moffat, Ont. and Nancy MacNevin of Essex, Ont. The daughter of Mcwicked-Bet Ya has won eight of 27 starts this year. Her win payoff was $4.20.
The three $15,000 first-leg Pop-Up Series divisions on the card went to Etherium Party ($14.40), Why Wouldnt Ya ($18.90), and Wallace Hartley ($10.60). The series is for pacing horses and geldings that have started for a purse of $10,000 or less in their previous three starts, with non-winners of $30,000 in a minimum of 10 starts this year also eligible. Horses with more than $40,000 in earnings in 2025 are not eligible.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)