Mohawk’s powerhouse Preferred pacer Wheels On Fire claimed another win in the $34,000 feature with a 1:51.2 mile on Saturday night (Nov. 26) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Driver Doug McNair secured a pocket ride for Wheels On Fire when Century Heineken cleared command to a :27.3 first quarter. McNair stayed nestled behind the pacesetter through a :56.3 half before tipping off the pegs to three-quarters in 1:25.1. Wheels On Fire then surged to the lead in the straight and withstood a late charge from No Free Lunch to win by a half length. Century Heineken faded to third and Carbine finished fourth.
Brad Grant owns Wheels On Fire, a seven-year-old gelding by Somebeachsomewhere. He won his 45th race from 131 starts and has now earned $973,338. Richard Moreau trains the $4.30 winner.
Pop-Up Series action continued with the second preliminary for conditioned pacers. Wildriverbumblebee swept to the lead and won the first division by three-quarter lengths in 1:51.2. Louis-Philippe Roy piloted the eight-year-old Sportswriter stallion to his 19th victory, which pushed the Dr. John Bradbury homebred to $203,235 in earnings. Julie Walker trains the $11.50 winner.
Travis Cullen collected his 2,000th win when winning the second division of Pop-Up Series with Outlaw Aceofspades. The six-year-old Smart Shark gelding scored a 1:53.1 victory by 1-3/4 lengths and paid $10.50 to win. Jodie Cullen trains the gelding for Travis Cullen and Blair Kidd.
Driver Jonathan Drury motored Carmen Auciello trainee Unique Beach to the lead and held firm to a 1:54 win in the third division of Pop-Up Series. The five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding took a half-length win to tally a 13th win from 66 tries and pad a bankroll now worth $95,553. Daniel Sarafian owns the $9.70 winner.
HP Momentum upset in the final division with a first-over grind to a head decision in 1:52.3. Austin Sorrie kept the three-year-old Control The Moment gelding alive while uncovered on the rim to land a $52.60 winning mutuel and notch a fourth victory on his card from 32 starts. Fran Guillemette owns and trains the winner of $69,802.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.