The photo finish camera was put to good use to sort out a very tight finish in Monday’s $24,000 feature race for trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and when the dust settled it was Dream Nation prevailing by the slimmest of margins.
With driver Bob McClure back in action for the first time in two weeks, Dream Nation was allowed to settle into an early four-hole while Free Willy Hanover motored to the top and whacked out fractions of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:25. Race favourite Only For Justice put first-over pressure on the leader around the final turn before putting away that foe and clearing to the front in the lane.
A convoy of challengers kicked into gear in deep stretch, however, and Only For Justice failed to fend them off. R First Class shot up the rail in the late going, while Dream Nation powered up on the far outside. Dream Nation’s closing quarter speed of :27.4 was just enough to earn the Jacques Dupont trainee the nose decision over R First Class in a career-best clocking of 1:53.3. Memo took home the show dough.
The victory was the fourth of the season and the 11th to date for the career winner of $329,353. The four-year-old son of Archangel-Mississippi Dream is owned by Les Ecuries Dorleans Inc, Ecurie CSL, Gestion C Levesque 2005inc and Marc Camirand.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.