In what would serve as her final career outing, Silver Label went first-over to go out on top in the $36,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred on Saturday (Dec. 21) at Woodbine Mohawk Park, which also saw her fellow O'Brien Award winning stablemate, Prohibition Legal, close out her career with a fourth-place effort.
Leaving from the rail in the field of six, driver James MacDonald settled Silver Label into fourth early while Dabarndawgswatchin (Trevor Henry) fired from the far outside to cut the quarter in :27.3. Louis Roy hustled Prohibition Legal to the lead on the backstretch to clear at the half in :56.1 while Silver Label wound up her first-over charge on the final turn.
The two millionaire mares went stride-for-stride one final time just beyond three-quarters in 1:24.1 before Silver Label began to edge clear. Pacing home in :27, Silver Label put away her stablemate before fending off one final challenge from Dabarndawgswatchin to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.2. Huntress (Bob McClure) finished third, Prohibition Legal finished fourth in her send off.
"I was a little bit emotional watching them go to the post," said owner and breeder of both mares, George Millar of Millar Farms. "When they both turned for home, I was ready to cry."
Both mares were trained by Nick Gallucci for the entirety of their careers. It was career win 26 for Silver Label, and sixth in 20 outings for her 2024 campaign. The five-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight-Hidden Gem sports a career bankroll of $1,678,857 for her career, taking her career mark of 1:47.3 in the Lady Liberty final at The Meadowlands in 2023, becoming the fastest Canadian-sired female pacer in doing so. Silver Label was the 2022 O'Brien Award winning sophomore pacing filly with a season that saw her victorious in the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final. The connections noted that Silver Label will be bred to Always B Miki in 2025.
As for Prohibition Legal, the 2021 O'Brien Award winning two-year-old pacing filly retires with career earnings of $1,117,185 and a lifetime best of 1:50 taken last fall at Mohawk. An Ontario Sires Stakes champion at two, the five-year-old daughter of Big Jim-Catch A Wish retires with 13 victories in her 40 career outings, hitting the board 29 times. Prohibition Legal will be bred to Sweet Lou in 2025.
Both mares will head to the states to be bred before returning to the Millar farm to foal out. And while sad to see the two millionaires wrap up their career on track, the connections look to have another exciting pacing filly to look forward to next season in 2024 O'Brien Award finalist, Chantilly.
"It's breaking my heart to see them go, but the nice thing is when they go down to the farm in Kentucky, we're picking up Chantilly and she's coming home...which makes it a little easier," Millar laughed during the winner's circle presentation.
Immediately following the retirement ceremony for the two pacing mares, driver James MacDonald was presented his championship belt for winning his fourth consecutive driving title at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 2024. The three-time O'Brien Award winner made history in 2024, becoming the first Canadian-based driver to earn over $12 million in a single season across North America. Surpassing his career best in earnings from 2023 ($10.3 million), MacDonald has won 435 times this year, the second best in a single season for his career, only behind 2022 (451).
Later on in the proceedings, Whatchulookin At and driver Louis-Philippe Roy closed off of a second-over trip to take the $36,000 Preferred Pace at 6-1.
Leaving from post two, Whatchulookin At landed in the fourth spot on the first turn while Whichwaytothebeach (Jody Jamieson) crossed over from the outside to lead to field of six to the quarter in :27.2. Fortify (Tyler Borth) tipped briefly from the pocket on the backstretch, but opted to remain behind the pacesetter to the half in :55.1. Whatchulookin At flushed the cover of 1-2 favourite Powertrain (James MacDonald) entering the last turn, but gapped that cover slightly as Powertrain forged to a short lead at three-quarters in 1:22.3.
Powertrain got the best of Whichwaytothebeach at the top of the lane as Whatchulookin At closed the gap to the MacDonald helmet and tipped off cover. Powertrain dug in gamely, but Whatchulookin At timed his move right, pacing home in :27.1 to nail the bettors' choice by a head in 1:50.1. Fortify rallied between horses for third.
It was the third victory in the last four outings for the Dave Menary trained Whatchulookin At. A winner in seven of 25 starts this season, the four-year-old gelded son of Hes Watching-Oriane Blue Chip has banked $113,392 on the season and now over $400,000 for his career.
The evening kicked-off with a rivalry renewed once more between Santa Claus and The Grinch taking place before the card. The man with the red colours and white beard utilized a nifty crossover move on the final turn to grab the lead before outsprinting The Grinch in the lane in the hotly contested race for Christmas.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)