Driver Doug McNair found himself in the winner's circle of both stakes events on Saturday (Nov. 13) at Woodbine Mohawk Park, winning the $144,825 SBOA Three-Year-Old Filly Trot with Up And Ready and the $144,825 SBOA Three-Year-Old Filly Pace with Twin B Sunkissed.
Odds-on choice Up And Ready grabbed the lead past the quarter and never looked back, withstanding all challenges to win going away in the $144,825 SBOA Three-Year-Old Filly Trot on Saturday (Nov. 13) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Wide through a :29.1 first quarter, Up And Ready cleared control from Midnight Miracle to the backside while 113-1 shot Wee Jill remained parked and uncovered. Wee Jill nonetheless stayed alongside Up And Ready, who trotted past the half in :58.2 and to three-quarters in 1:27.3 before accelerating for home. Left to her own off the corner, Up And Ready ripped to a three-length lead that she maintained to the finish of a 1:56.3 mile while HP Mama B rallied home to take second. Midnight Miracle finished third while Wee Jill faded to fourth.
“She’s just been getting real good here near the end of the year,” McNair said. “Little bit of money on the line and she got to gather it all up, so I was happy for all the connections, Marvin Katz, and Al Libfeld was here tonight, so it was just a great race.”
A daughter of Kadabra owned by Al Libfeld, Marvin and Lynn Katz and Sam Goldband, Up And Ready won her third race from 15 starts this season and her fourth from 24 overall, pushing her earnings to $552,434. Doug McNair drove the $3.40 winner for trainer John Bax.
In the $144,825 SBOA Final for three-year-old pacing fillies, Twin B Sunkissed capitalized off the pocket trip to start what became a stakes sweep for driver Doug McNair with a narrow 1:53.4 victory.
Twin B Sunkissed cleared to the top after a :27 first quarter but soon yielded command to Voelz Delight into the backstretch. She stayed put in the cat-bird seat as Dabarndawgswatchin pulled first over and supplied cover to 2-1 favourite Bet On Becky by a :55.3 half. With the tempo staying steady to three-quarters in 1:24.2, Dabarndawgswatchin cruised to the pacesetter’s wheel but quickly began to tire off the turn. Bet On Becky meanwhile blew off cover and for the lead as Twin B Sunkissed had room to angle from the pocket and grab the lead in the stretch. The daughter of Sunshine Beach held firm on the front to the finish, besting Bet On Becky by a head while Voelz Delight settled for third and Best Head West finished fourth.
“She’s pretty handy I think,” McNair said about Twin B Sunkissed. “She floated off the gate pretty good and got good positioning and we followed the horse we kind of thought would take us the distance and she did.”
Owned by Ecurie CSL and 9174 7998 Quebec Inc., Twin B Sunkissed won her fourth race from 15 starts this season and her fifth from 26 overall, pushing her earnings to $312,755. She paid $14.40 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.