Race-favourite Easy Lover Hanover kicked to the wire in the slop to get a neck up on Always A Hotshot and take back-to-back victories in the $34,000 Preferred Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, Nov. 24.
Physicallyinclined set the pace as Nocturnal Bluechip tracked from the pocket with no movement towards the leader early. Posting fractions of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:26, Physicallyinclined made the race a final-quarter sprint. Nocturnal Bluechip angled off the pylons but backtracked quickly while Always A Hotshot closed wide with Easy Lover Hanover sliding through the rail. The Ben Wallace trainee skidded the cones to snag the win by a minor margin while Physicallyinclined fought in third.
A five-year-old gelding by Somebeachsomewhere, Easy Lover Hanover won his seventh race in 25 starts this season and his 32nd in 82 overall, earning $776,449 for owner Brad Grant. Jody Jamieson drove the $4.40 winner.
Coinciding the male pacing feature, Request For Parole swept to the lead before the half and kept control through the wire to take the $30,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred Pace in 1:54.2.
Driver Ed Hensley floated into fourth with the Ashleigh Hensley-trained mare by Badlands Hanover while Exhilarated pressed Windsongmagnifique for the lead by a :29 first quarter. Exhilarated cleared to the lead but soon took the pocket as Request For Parole slid to the top heading to a :58.2 half.
Request For Parole continued on the point while favourite Kendall Seelster advanced first over passing three-quarters in 1:26.3. The eight-year-old daughter of Badlands Hanover turned away Kendall Seelster heading through the stretch and held a length advantage on the wire as Windsongmagnifique rallied for second. Exhilarated edged Kendall Seelster for third.
Winning her sixth race in 37 starts this season and her 28th in 170 overall, Request For Parole, also owned by Ed and Ashleigh Hensley, returned $10.20 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.