Driver Sylvain Filion protected the front for 1-5 favourite Angers Bayama and ripped away to a repeat victory in preliminary two for the Harvest Series on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Excaliber Seelster cleared control from Angers Bayama by a :27.1 first quarter but yielded the lead to the three-year-old Big Jim gelding entering the backstretch. Angers Bayama circled back to the top before a :56.1 half and edged clear of his competition through three-quarters in 1:25. Through the stretch Cheddar Bay gave pursuit from second with Strategic Thinking in third as Angers Bayama crossed the finish in 1:52 four-and-three-quarter lengths in front.
Owned by Bayama Farms Inc., Angers Bayama won his fifth race from 13 starts, earning $53,855. Tony O’Sullivan conditions the $2.20 winner.
The First Step also repeated in the Harvest Series, taking the other second-prelim division by a half length in 1:52.2.
Prestige Seelster sped through the mile while prompted by Privilege from first over past a :28 first quarter. But Privilege faltered after a :56.3 half, clogging the outer tier moving towards three-quarters in 1:24.1. Prestige Seelster owned three-and-a-quarter lengths on pocket-sitter Machdavid turning into the stretch but shortened stride as The First Step hit his best. The Betterthancheddar gelding rushed by Prestige Seelster with a :26.4 final quarter to win with Machdavid holding third.
Co-owned by trainer Timothy Gillespie with Jason Churchill, The First Step won his third race from 12 starts this season and his fifth from 20 overall, earning $79,048. Bob McClure steered the $5.40 winner.
Youaremycandygirl catapulted from the back of the field to beat the boys in the $34,000 later on the Saturday card. Driver Louis-Philippe Roy placed the four-year-old American Ideal mare sixth through a :26.3 first quarter and :56.1 half while Nirvana Seelster set the tempo. Roy rolled Youaremycandygirl towards the front as Physicallyinclined came first over to challenge the pacesetter past three-quarters in 1:24.3 but raced in the mare’s dust through the stretch. Youaremycandygirl stopped the clock in 1:52 and finished two-and-a-half lengths better than Physicallyinclined. Pocket-sitter Easy Lover Hanover finished third.
Owned by William Donovan, Youaremycandygirl won her fourth race from 15 starts this season and her 22nd from 43 overall, earning $1,626,599. Richard Moreau trains the $5.50 winner.
In the race before On A Sunny Day—racing in one of Mohawk’s experimental mile-and-three-eighths races—lowered the track record at the added distance. Racing off a pylon trip from the middle of the pack, the 5-2 favourite nailed late leader Buzz at the finish to trot a track-record 2:41.1, besting the previous record set by Bizet earlier this year of 2:43.3.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.