Driver Doug McNair made the most of his trip to Woodbine Racetrack on Friday evening winning two of the four $20,000 opening leg divisions of the HorsePlayer Interactive Series
and scoring one more in overnight action for good measure. The series is for mares four years old and up that were non-winners of $50,000 (three-year-olds $75,000) in 2011.
McNair wasted little time on the program as he took the opening division in Race 2 with Michigan ship-in Do Me Honor.
Sent off at odds of 10-1, the four-year-old miss was in no hurry as the gates folded with Icey Breeze (Garrett Whelan) striking command past the opening panel in :28.
Heading towards the midway mark, Whelan tapped the breaks with Icey Breeze as she reached that point in a moderate :58. Favourite D Gs Tinkerbell (Luc Ouellette), the Blizzard Series champion and Niagara Series runner-up, was enjoying a pocket trip with Whos Up Whos Down (Scott Zeron) third.
Shine N Shimmer (Jody Jamieson) began the first over attack around the final turn with Do Me Honor spotted third over while Icey Breeze reached three-quarters in 1:27.
Turning for home, Icey Breeze began to tire as Shine N Shimmer took over the lead, but McNair tipped Do Me Honor three-wide and the daughter of Cheyenne Rei exploded in deep stretch with a :26.4 final frame to win in 1:55 flat. Shine N Shimmer stayed for second while D Gs Tinkerbell finished third.
Owned and trained by Russell Sutherland, Do Me Honor notched her seventh career victory as her earnings climbed to $76,734. She paid a handsome $22.90 for the win.
Sent off as the 4-5 favourite in the second division, You Thrill Me delivered on her pari-mutuel promise in the second split two races later with another young gun in the sulky, Scott Zeron.
You Thrill Me settled away in seventh in the early stages as Betterluvnexttime (Billy Davis Jr.) front-stepped her way past the opening station in a quick :26.4.
Davis was able to slow the pace in the second quarter as he reached that station in :55.3 while Bunny Mach (Paul MacDonell) began the first-over rally from fourth. Catching her cover was Western (Chris Christoforou) and You Thrill Me tracking her from third over.
As Betterluvnexttime passed three-quarters in 1:24.1, she began to tire and the backfield was closing in. Bunny Mach reached the front, but could not fend off a late challenge from You Thrill Me, who scored a two and a quarter-length victory in 1:53 flat for trainer David Menary. Bunny Mach finished second with Western third.
You Thrill Me notched her 15th career victory for new owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. The seven-year-old daughter of Jate Lobell increased her lifetime earnings to $215,133. She paid $3.60 to win.
In the third division, Day To Ponder scored for the popular combination of trainer Robert McIntosh and driver Randy Waples.
The bay settled into the three-hole before the quick :26.3 opening quarter, put up by Autumn Seelster (Doug McNair).
The field remained in single-file alignment past the midway point in :55.
Heading around the final turn, Waples guided Day To Ponder to the outside and was within two lengths of the tempo-setter by three-quarters in 1:23.1.
Down the stretch, Autumn Seelster held command, but Day To Ponder was still stalking on the outside. In the final strides, Day To Ponder got the best of Autumn Seelster as she notched her 10th career victory by a half a length in 1:52.4. Autumn Seelster finished second and Cheap Motel (Mario Baillargeon) was third.
The four-year-old daughter by Ponder increased her bankroll to $213,594 for McIntosh, who co-owns with CSX Stable and Toronto's John Fielding.
McNair capped off the first leg of the series with another victory as he guided Synergy Seelster to a 1:52.1 lifetime best score in the final division.
The 2-1 favourite was in no rush in the beginning as he settled into fifth while Bay Girl (Paul MacDonell) cleared to the front past a :26.4 opening quarter.
As the mares headed towards the midway point, Windsong Grand Ave (Billy Davis Jr.) angled out from third and made the lead past a blistering half of :54.4.
Around the final turn, Epoxy Queen (Rick Zeron) moved from third to begin the first-over attack with Jamaica Hanover (Jody Jamieson) tracking her. Synergy Seelster was positioned third over, three and a quarter-lengths off the lead by three-quarters in 1:23.3.
Turning for home, Jamaica Hanover took over the lead, but McNair showed his charge open road and the four-year-old daughter of Mach Three swept by in deep stretch to score the win. Jamaica Hanover finished second with Land Ds Taylor (Randy Waples) completing the triactor.
Trained by Gregg McNair, Synergy Seelster notched her seventh career victory as her earnings climbed to $123,420 for owner Lindsey and Connie Rankin. She paid $6.10 for the win.
The second leg of the HorsePlayer Interactive Series will go to post on February 10.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woobine Racetrack.
(With files from WEG)
The three wins Friday night
The three wins Friday night by DOUG MCNAIR were at the tail end of a nice week spent at Pompano Park. Vacationing with family members, MCNAIR snagged a drive there, and won at first asking in his first ever drive there.
He then jumped on a plane on Thursday to get back for the night WEG card. He was back in time to win race 8 (St. Lads Penny Lane) as the odds on Favorite.
The dueling between B DAVIS and D. MCNAIR is certainly very exciting. And if these two are not up to it, Handy Randy can set up shop at the finish line as he did Friday night with three wins. (one paying $42.00 and change) in the first half of the late Double.
I can't remember harness racing being so exciting as it was in the last two weeks.Every race is a dogfight, and the top driver of the evening is not known until the late Double is Official.Keep it up, boys.!!