Dublin Dasher sprinted past all five of his foes to win the $40,000 Open Pace, capping off a three-win evening for trainer Jodie Cullen at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, Jan. 31.
Travis Cullen initially sent the gelding forward but pumped the brakes on the first turn to slide him into fourth. Longshot Poseidon Seelster (Trevor Henry) drove on to take point at the quarter in :26.4, then allowed Taurasi (Doug McNair) to roll past him on the way to the half in :55.4. Dublin Dasher stayed in as stablemate Blue Hunt (Billy Davis Jr.) left the pylons behind him, resulting in a shuffle to sixth and last as Cold Creek Queso (Tyler Borth) slid out for a second-over ride to three-quarters in 1:24.4.
Cullen drifted Dublin Dasher to the middle of the track as the field entered the stretch, and the five-year-old took off, reaching top speed at the eighth pole. A game Taurasi was in search of the line but was picked off in the final strides by Dublin Dasher, who went clear by a half-length and stopped the timer in 1:53. Blue Hunt was third.
Dublin Dasher, stepping up from the mid-level conditions, earned his first win in Mohawk Open company. The gelding is owned by Paul Standers of Surrey, B.C., A1stable of Dundas, Ont., and Grace Marshman of Campbellcroft, Ont. He has tallied 14 wins and $316,563 in bankroll in 54 career appearances. He paid $7.50 at the windows.
The win completed a natural hat trick for Team Cullen. One race earlier, they finished off a sweep of the Snowshoe Pacing Series with Rbstenacious T, who made it four straight victories in a comfortable win in the $37,400 final. Driven by Travis Cullen, the son of Freaky Feet Pete-Aunt Marlene pushed through a three-horse group heading into the first turn and secured control before the quarter in :27.2.
No challenge came to his reign through the half in :57.1 and through three-quarters in 1:26.2, and though pocket-sitter Booker Seelster (Doug McNair) was all over him on the backstretch, that foe was unable to threaten down the lane as Rbstenacious T crossed the line a 2-1/2-length winner in 1:55. Arthur Idlam (Jason Ryan) completed the triactor.
Rbstenacious T recorded win number nine in his 24th career start and increased his earnings to $90,222. Travis Cullen and Ron Cullen of Dundas, Ont. own the stallion with Deborah McLeod of Edmonton, Alta. The winner returned $2.20.
The other Jodie Cullen-trained winner was Blue Bar ($4.50) in the seventh race. The conditioner leads the national wins and earnings leaderboards with 37 and $483,390, respectively. She also tops the Mohawk standings with 26 wins to second-placed Dave Menary’s 11.
Earlier on the card, Lets N Joy N remained undefeated in Canada as she closed from third-over to capture the $34,000 Blizzard Pacing Series Final. The recent import from Australia, after a front-end win in the second preliminary round, dropped back into the six-hole while 29-1 shot Marlenes Legacy (Doug McNair) took point with :27.3 speed to the quarter. Lets N Joy N was prompted to the outside by D A Miss Universe (Travis Henry), and she got double cover as Shuri (Tyler Borth) was flushed out of fifth and Who Are You (Mike Whelan) launched from third past the half in :57.3.
The field progressed five in, five out to three-quarters in 1:27.1 and fanned out to chase Who Are You, who struck the front at the top of the lane. Three contenders emerged in the last eighth of a mile, and Lets N Joy N kicked home best to score by 1-1/2 lengths in a new mark of 1:56.1. Shuri caught Who Are You late for second.
Lets N Joy N is three-for-three for owner Ecurie CSL of Sorel-Tracy, Que., which acquired the four-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight-Rock N Joy last October. Jacques Dupont trains the mare, who is seven-for-10 lifetime with $50,162 in earnings. Her backers received $4.70.
The Snowshoe Series and Blizzard Series are for three- and four-year-old pacing males and females, respectively, that were non-winners of two races or $30,000 lifetime as of Oct. 31, 2025.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)