The Niagara and Valedictory Series kicked off at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday, Dec. 12 with Louis-Philippe Roy driving the winners of the opening divisions.
The three-year-old pacing events are for non-winners of $60,000 lifetime as of Oct. 31, 2025 with fillies featured in the Niagara and colts in the Valedictory.
The first $17,000 Niagara division was won by 3-5 bettors' choice Kiki Dee Hanover ($3.40), who led wire-to-wire in 1:55.1 for Roy, with Betterdoubledown (Doug McNair) chasing 1-3/4 lengths behind from the pocket and Parkavenuejanet (J.R. Plante) back in third. J.F. Maguire trains the Bettors Delight-Key West filly, a runner-up in a dozen races and now a three-time winner in 23 starts this year, for owner Jeremy Marcotte of Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix, Que.
In the $17,000 opening division for the Valedictory, the even-money favourites emerged in a stretch showdown with Get Wings ($4.20) getting up in time for Roy off a pocket trip to prevail by half a length over late leader Magical Bet (James MacDonald) at the end of the 1:52.2 mile. Rbstenacious T (Travis Cullen) settled for third after taking command in the final turn. Get Wings earned his sixth win of the season in 14 starts for trainer Paul MacKenzie and owners Gary Ford of Stratford, P.E.I., and Janet Kinney of Wheatley River, P.E.I.
Who Are You ($17.50) took the second Niagara division in 1:55 flat, as driver Mike Whelan sent the Captain Crunch-Shesa Bragn Dragon filly first-over from fourth approaching the third quarter mark to overtake the favourite on the front, Highland Delight (Travis Henry). Closing on the far outside, Sunnys Girl (Daryl Thiessen) got up in a photo for place, edging out Highland Delight at the inside and Woodmere Betcha (Billy Davis Jr.) between foes. Trained by Walter Whelan, Who Are You picked up her second win in 22 seasonal starts for owner Felix Marion of Cambridge, Ont.
Blazing Cruiser ($2.90) delivered a 1:54.4 victory as the 2-5 favourite in the second Valedictory division with James MacDonald in the sulky for trainer Rod Hughes. After being parked the first panel then pocketed up the backstretch, Blazing Cruiser re-took the lead turning for home and won by three-quarters of a length while first-quarter leader Dance Captain (Tyler Borth) re-rallied for second with Trinidad (J.R. Plante) landing the show spot. The Sweet Lou-Pleasant Roll gelding is now five-for-25 this year for owners Sarah Imrie of London, Ont., and Elaine Stock of Caledon East, Ont.
A conditioned Pop-Up Series for trotters wrapped up on Friday night with 6-5 favourite Kevin Anthony ($4.70) winning the $25,000 final in 1:56 after Trevor Henry looped the Jack Moiseyev trainee to the lead down the backstretch. The seven-year-old son of Archangel-Chasing Venue, who joined the series in round two last week on a winning note, is owned by High Stakes Inc. of Moffat, Ont., and 2586380 Ontario Ltd. of Burlington, Ont.
This three-week series was for trotters that started for a purse of $10,000 or less in their last three races and non-winners of $50,000 in 2025, with non-winners of $30,000 in a minimum of 10 starts in 2025 also eligible.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Get Wings winning on Dec. 12)