Angostura Hanover and driver Bob McClure got the jump on even-money favourite Absolution in Woodbine Mohawk Park's $40,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace and held off that rival driven by six-time Friday winner James MacDonald.
Century Jamila (Louis-Philippe Roy) fired off the gate alongside Sunshine Magic (Jonathan Drury) and cleared the longshot leaver into a :27.4 opening quarter with insider So Much More (Tyler Borth) landing in third. The field followed Century Jamila in single-file fashion through a tepid second panel to the half in :58.1 before McClure made his move with Angostura Hanover from fourth, with Absolution tracking second-over into the final turn.
Century Jamila picked up the pace to three-quarters in 1:25.4 but her rivals were gaining ground. Sunshine Magic shot through at the pylons in the stretch while Angostura Hanover rallied by on the outside with Absolution closing off her cover. The final-quarter sprint ended in a photo finish with Angostura Hanover nosing out Absolution for the 1:53 triumph. Sunshine Magic finished one length back in third while Century Jamila ended up fourth.
Let go at odds of 6-1 following her first Open win in her last start two weeks ago, Angostura Hanover returned $15.90 to her $2 backers for the mild upset.
The win was her third of the year from seven starts for trainer Kyle Fellows and owners Dr. Peter Johnston of Cavan Monaghan, Ont., and Craig Watkins of Newcastle, Ont. A six-year-old daughter of Betting Line and Armbro Amoretto, Angostura Hanover now boasts 19 career wins and a bankroll totalling $467,792.
While MacDonald just missed in the Friday night feature, the reigning five-time Driver of the Year won six other races on the 11-dash card including the first three with the stakes-winning pacing mare Avyanna ($5) for trainer Paul MacDonell, undefeated sophomore pacing filly Pelican Bay ($3.40) for Ben Hollingsworth and the night's fastest winning distaffer, Madam X ($3.50) in 1:52, for David Menary. He also scored with trotter Kama ($10.30), trained by Chris Rogers, and doubled up with imported Jacques Dupont trainees Lets N Joy N ($3.10) and Seaclusion N ($3.70).
Blizzard Series champion Lets N Joy N matched her lifetime mark of 1:53.1 and ran up her North American record to five-for-five for owner Ecurie Csl of Sorel-Tracy, Que. The four-year-old Bettors Delight-Rock N Joy mare sprinted her last quarter in :26.1 to catch Sugar Pie Honey (Travis Cullen) in a $22,000 conditioned optional claiming distaff pace.
Scoring her first North American victory, Seaclusion N was a wire-to-wire winner in Pop-Up Series action, tracking a $15,000 second-leg division in 1:53 flat. The other Pop-Up division was won by Kellina Diamond in a 5-3/4-length romp in 1:53.4 with J.R. Plante driving for trainer Carmen Auciello. The series is for female pacers who have started for a purse of $10,000 or less in 2026, with winners over $50,000 in 2025 and $15,000 in 2026 not eligible.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)