After going the distance in last week’s opening leg of the Family Day Trotting Series, Truffles Too returned to Woodbine Mohawk Park and turned in an equally impressive triumph in Monday’s second leg of the series. With James MacDonald picking up the catch-driver for a vacationing Trevor Henry, Truffles Too got away third before quarter pole-moving to the top. After Urntrouble Hanover hung up the first panel in :29.4, it was Truffles Too tossing out middle splits of :58.4 and 1:27.3 before kicking home in :28.4 to win by a half-length margin over Urntrouble Hanover in 1:56.2. Third prize went to Dealin With Dewey.
Bill Budd trains the four-year-old son of Donato Hanover-Truffles for Deanmar Sons Stable, Peter Miskolczi, John Freda and MPG Racing. It was the second win of the season for the eight-time winner. The lion’s share of the $18,000 purse bumped his lifetime earnings to $94,872. Monday’s card also featured round two of the Pop Up Series for conditioned claimers and Heresthatmanagain was a popular winner in the first division for the team of driver James MacDonald and trainer Carmen Auciello. MacDonald got away fifth with the public’s top choice while Elroy Shiner (:28.1) and Finkle Is Einhorn (:58.1 and 1:27.1) took turns on the lead. MacDonald commenced a first-over rally with Heresthatmanagain on the way to the half, and after making steady gains around the final turn the gelding then used a :28 final quarter to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Finkle Is Einhorn in 1:55.4. Primetime Seelster was third.
Sent off as the 1-2 choice, the five-year-old son of Warrawee Needy-Keystone Romola nabbed his first win of the year and the ninth of his career. The career winner of $47,455 was owned by Dan Sarafian of Unionville, ON, but was then claimed from the winning effort. Do You See It was a wire-to-wire winner in the second division for the team of driver Doug McNair and trainer Ben Wallace. McNair hustled the four-year-old son of Hes Watching-Sexyandinoitdevie to the top from Post 5 and together they led the field through fractions of :29.2, :59.3 and 1:29. The gelding came under pressure in the closing strides, but his final quarter speed of :28.4 was enough to earn him the head decision over Theamazingsando in 1:57.4. Taking home the show dough was Dragon The Line.
It was the first win of the year for the three-time winner, who was sent off as the odds-on favourite. Wallacestandardbreds Inc and JMR Racing Inc were the owners on the career winner of $38,992, who was claimed from the winning effort. Believe In Brian was a witness to a speed battle in the final division, and that played a major role in him earning the 1:56 score for driver Louis-Philippe Roy and trainer Brett Lester. Sir A had the field chasing him to the quarter in :28.3 before Diamond Rock popped out of fourth and blasted to the lead in the backstretch. He hit the half in :58.1 while feeling first-over pressure from race favourite Mayhem Like Me. Those two went tooth and nail to the three-quarter pole in 1:27.1, with Believe In Brian suddenly tracking cover from second over. Roy pulled the trigger in the lane and Believe In Brian used a :28.2 closing quarter to win over Hello Rocky and Sights On You.
Michele Letarte and Jean Allaire owned the four-year-old son of Believeinbruiser-How Is Carrie, who was claimed from the winning effort. It was the second win of the year and the fourth to date for the career winner of $56,344. To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.