Odds-on favourite Sheswildnfree shot to the lead and blew away her competition to an open-length victory in the second preliminary of the Harvest Series Trot on Saturday (Nov. 28) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Driver Sylvain Filion fired Sheswildnfree to the point with Ann Jackson securing the pocket to a :28.4 opening quarter. Sheswildnfree continued on the lead unchallenged to a :58.1 half as Sheer Energy angled first over from fifth and marched towards the top, flushing Jula Shes Magic for cover around the final turn.
Past three-quarters in 1:27.3, Jula Shes Magic broke stride as she pressed Sheswildnfree into the stretch after having scooted clear of their tiring rivals. That left Sheswildnfree to her own devices on a loose lead, strolling to the finish of a 1:56.3 mile 11-and-three-quarter lengths better than Oh Lina, who rallied for second. Sheer Energy settled for third while Jula Shes Magic regained stride and took fourth.
A daughter of Muscle Mass, Sheswildnfree broke her maiden in her 15th start. The homebred for Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin, trained by Benoit Baillargeon, has banked $19,458 and paid $3.60 to win.
Scorched Romance scored a coast-to-coast victory in the other division of the Harvest Series Trot. The Kadabra filly took command from post 5 and faced little challenge through fractions of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:27.3, and strode to the finish of the 1:57 mile one-and-a-quarter lengths better than pocket-sitter Letstaketothesky. Magic Wanda closed for third.
Trained by Meg Crone for owner William Donovan, Scorched Romance won her second race from 12 starts this season and her fifth from 23 overall, earning $100,714. Louis-Philippe Roy drove the $4.70 winner.
Roy also steered Filter Hanover to a 1:54.4 victory in the first split for the Harvest Series Pace. Away sixth, Filter Hanover moved off the pegs following a :27.4 opening quarter and gradually advanced uncovered through a :56.3 half while Classylaneprecious looped to the lead. Filter Hanover continued to make slight gains into the final turn as Golden Leader lunged out of the pocket by three-quarters in 1:25.4. Golden Leader continued to dig into Classylaneprecious through the stretch as Filter Hanover reeled in the battling leaders, but the pair gave way as Filter Hanover surged past late in the final strides to win by a neck. Golden Leader held second while Classylaneprecious finished third.
Owned by 9228 2599 Quebec Inc., Roger Bourgeois, Serge Leonard and Jean Dessureault, Filter Hanover won her second race from 13 starts this season and her fourth from 21 overall, earning $38,330. Corey Johnson trains the Bettors Delight filly who paid $4.30 to win.
Lyons Tilt Hanover hustled by tiring leaders to win the other Harvest Series Pace split in 1:54. Sent the 1-5 favourite, the Bettors Delight filly sat seventh to a :28 first quarter while Ms Machingbird powered to the lead and Zar E Ip raced parked to the backstretch. Zar E Ip advanced towards the pacesetter to a :56.2 half as driver J Harris secured a third-over spot for Lyons Tilt Hanover to the far turn. However Zar E Ip began to falter after reaching the leader’s throat by three-quarters in 1:25.2, forcing Lyons Tilt Hanover and second-over No Where To Hide to fan wide and sweep towards the tiring leader. Lyons Tilt Hanover grabbed control off the turn and edged clear of No Where To Hide by three-and-a-half lengths while Big Myrtle finished third.
Conditioned by Anthony Beaton for owner Threelyonsracing, Lyons Tilt Hanover won her fourth race from 16 starts this season and her sixth from 26 overall, earning $98,870. The Bettors Delight filly paid $2.50 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.