Mother Nature has not been kind to those participating in the winter harness meet at Hawthorne as every racing card has been contested in below freezing temperatures. This weekend, she seemed to kick things up another notch as 40+ mph winds were a part of the Friday night card while Saturday faced wind chills approaching zero. While the conditions were very tough on all involved, they haven’t seemed to stop driver Kyle Wilfong as he has had an excellent past two nights.
A blustery Friday card kicked off as Wilfong guided Mckee Creek (1:56.4) to a neck score as the favourite in the opener for trainer Nick Prather. Wilfong rounded out the early double as favoured Velocity Gator (1:55.4) won by daylight in the second for trainer Steve Searle. In the third race, Wilfong won for his third different trainer, this time for Jim Eaton, as favoured Bet Mine (1:55.3) held on to win by a neck. Wilfong wasn’t driving the favourite in the fourth race, instead it was third longest choice Carlos Mittanna (1:55), who rallied late for the win for trainer Hector Herrera.
Taking down the early Pick 4 was a feat for Wilfong as he finished third in race five, driving Rollinwitdaponyzzz for trainer John Filomeno. Filomeno wasn’t to be left out of the Wilfong winner’s circle celebrations though as the two were back there in race six as Hezzz A Wise Sky (1:52.4) took the night’s $13,700 Open Pace. That win with the fifth Open victory of the meet in as many starts for the talented Filomeno homebred. After Rock Jagger finished fifth for Wilfong in the seventh, Perseus Seelster battled to a solid second-place performance for Wilfong’s fiancée, trainer Nicole Agosti, in race eight. In the final event of the night, Wilfong won for his sixth different trainer on the card, as Pondas Prospect (1:56.3) scored for trainer Dennis Brightwell.
Wilfong was able to keep the hot hand going on Saturday, and maybe build some funds for the honeymoon, as he took a pair of the night’s biggest pots for horses trained by his fiancée. In the Winter Wonderland Series final, Wilfong guided home 6-1 shot Feeling Like A Ten (1:54.3) for Agosti to take the $22,000 co-featured event of the evening. Two races later, the duo found themselves getting their picture taken once again, this time with Its Time For Fun (1:53.3), who scored in the Fillies & Mares Open Pace.
The eight victories between Friday and Saturday night vaulted Wilfong to the top of the Hawthorne driver standings with 34 wins on the meet. He is two ahead of Mike Oosting and six in front of Casey Leonard with one month to go in the winter meet.
(With files from Hawthorne Race Course)