Trainer Richard Moreau collected three victories on the 10-race card on Saturday (Feb. 20) at Woodbine Mohawk Park, including a win in the $26,000 featured pace with Wheels On Fire.
Driven by Bob McClure, Wheels On Fire launched to the front heading to a :27.3 opening quarter and faced no pressure when slowing the pace to a :56.3 half. The slowed tempo prompted pocket-sitter East End to pop off the pylons nearing three-quarters in 1:25 and pressure Wheels On Fire into the stretch drive. Odds-on favourite and the lone mare in the field So Much More tracked East End’s pocket pop and circled by her cover once he stalled approaching the finish. But Wheels On Fire maintained command to the finish, holding off So Much More by a neck in a 1:52 mile while East End settled for third.
A six-year-old gelding by Somebeachsomewhere, Wheels On Fire won his 23rd race from 69 starts, earning $389,723. He paid $16.80 to win.
Wheels On Fire completed the first half of the Late Daily Double for Moreau, while coming in as his second winner on the evening. Earlier in the card, Moreau sent Real Willey ($2.80) to a 1:54.4 victory, and then completed his hat trick with a victory in the night cap by Captain Video ($4.50).
Musical Rhythm, honoured as the O’Brien Aged Trotting Horse of the Year in 2019, inched closer to the $1-million plateau early in the card with a 1:57 victory in a $20,000 conditioned trot. Mario Baillargeon drove the now nine-year-old son of Cantab Hall, for trainer Benoit Baillargeon and co-owners Santo and Nunzio Vena and Claude Hamel, to his 39th victory from 109 starts. With the win, Musical Rhythm sits just under $42,000 away from $1 million in career earnings.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.