Richard Moreau enjoyed a training hat trick on Thursday (Feb. 22) evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park and his triad of victories was completed in the finale with Del Diggity winning the $18,000 Pop Up Series final.
James MacDonald and Del Diggity took post nine in the field of 10 going for the gold in the finale. MacDonald hit the gas and Del Diggity sought a beeline across the track. The mare landed in third through the opening panel in :27.2. She maintained her pylon position through the half in :55.4 before making a move after that panel. Del Diggity pushed three-wide past the three-quarters in 1:25.1. With a :28.2 last quarter, Del Diggity continued on to win by one length in 1:54.2. Greystone Treasure (Travis Cullen) sprinted to a second-place finish and Silly But Serious (Tyler Borth) completed the top three.
Del Diggity is a six-year-old daughter of So Surreal and the Badlands Hanover mare Beach Sunset. She earned her fourth straight victory and fourth win in six starts this year. In her career tally of 91 starts, Del Diggity has made 18 trips to the winner's circle with $125,810 banked. She returned $5.70 to win.
Moreau also scored in the distaff claiming handicap pace worth $11,000 with MacDonald piloting Goldies Rockin (pictured above) to a 1-3/4-length victory in 1:52.2. The five-year-old daughter of Rockin Image-A Loskoz Bluegrass won her fourth race in six starts this year and her 17th race from 74 career starts for owners Sylvain Cote and Robert Bernicky. She moved her career bankroll to $125,622 after winning in a career-best time. As the bettors' choice, Goldies Rockin paid $6.50 to win.
A win with Hillbilly Jet completed the training hat trick with MacDonald in the bike for Moreau and owner Normand Beausoleil. The 10-year-old Ponder mare won her fifth race in seven starts this year and 35th career tally from 235 starts. She is a career winner of $277,082. As the favourite, Hillbilly Jet paid $2.60 for the win.
Shovanna and Trevor Henry won the $12,000 Pop-Up Series consolation by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.3 for trainer Stewart McQueen and owners Louie Sorella, Stewart McQueen and James Grant. Off at 24-1 odds, the four-year-old mare returned a $50.50 payout for a $2 win ticket.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada; Photo of Goldies Rockin from a previous win on Jan. 11)