A pair of Woodbine Mohawk Park’s reinsmen showed it truly is the season for giving as they show kind acts of generosity by donating their Thursday evening earnings to those in need.
James MacDonald pledged his earnings from Thursday’s 10-race card at the Campbellville oval to the family of the late MacKenzie Smallman.
The young horseman from PEI passed away recently, and his fellow Islander was quick to offer assistance to the young man’s family during this difficult time.
Louis Philippe Roy has once again stepped up to assist Moisson Mitis, a food bank in his hometown of Mont-Joli, QC.
It’s become an annual tradition for Roy to assist the organization which offers a helping hand with food distribution to those in need.
Horseplayers experienced an eventful ride from start to finish on Thursday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park thanks to big upsets and the Pick-5 wager.
The Early Pick-5 started the evening in its usual slot of Race 1 and set the tone for a night of upsets and big payouts that hooked horseplayers for the duration of the 10-race card.
After a pair of mild upsets and a 5-2 shot came through in the first three-races on the card, claiming pacer Mossies Art and driver Jonathan Drury threw the night for a spin by scoring an 86-1 upset victory.
After the shocking upset, just $0.40 in “live money” remained in the Pick-5 with one leg to go. The remaining money sat on 4-5 favourite Leader Tonight, who with a victory would allow the only two tickets left to cash for $49,000 each. The race-favourite was parked every step and finished fifth by a length, as Mission Three won at 13-1.
With no five of five winning tickets, a carryover of $98,641.20 from the Early Pick-5 was brought to the Late Pick-5.
Word spread quickly of the big carryover and horseplayers wagered $227,741 in “new money” on the Late Pick-5.
The Late Pick-5 started with a 2-1 winner, but then followed the trend of the evening with a 30-1 upset by claiming pacer Unprecedented and driver James MacDonald. The back and forth game continued with a 3-1 winner in the third leg followed by a 16-1 winner in the fourth leg.
The final race saw live tickets on seven of the 10 horses, meaning either a huge payout or double carryover.
Giddy Up Max and driver Sylvain Filion were sent off at odds of 3-1 and crushed their rivals by several lengths to cap off the Late Pick-5, which returned $82,084.70 for a $0.20 winning ticket.
Woodbine Entertainment recently received approval from the CPMA to offer a carryover on the Pick-5 should there be no five of five winning tickets. CPMA rules require the carryover to be offered on the next available Pick-5 wager.
Another significant payout on Thursday’s card was the Early Pick-4, which returned $31,779.97 for a $0.20 ticket. The Early Pick-4 was caught in the middle of the Early and Late Pick-5.
Filion led the way for drivers on Thursday’s card, posting a three-win evening. Drury was the only other driver to score multiple wins on the card with two. Richard Moreau was the only trainer to a pair of wins on the card.
Live racing continues Friday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Friday’s feature is the Leg One of the Valedictory Series for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The 11-race card starts with the $100,000 Early Pick-5 in Race 1. Post time is 7 p.m.
(With files from Woodbine Entertainment)