Race-favourite Wheels On Fire delivered a wire to wire performance to take the $36,000 Preferred Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (March 14).
The five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding, starting from post 5, sprinted to the top and cleared Evenwood Sonofagun heading to a :26.4 opening quarter. Easy Lover Hanover, racing fourth, tipped first over approaching a :56 half and drew closer to the pacesetter nearing three-quarters in 1:23.4. Wheels On Fire maintained a length-and-a-quarter lead into the stretch and held firm on the front, keeping Easy Lover Hanover at bay by a length to win in 1:50.4 while Evenwood Sonofagun settled for third.
Owned by William Donovan, Wheels On Fire won his fourth race from seven starts this season and his 17th from 45 overall, earning $264,983. Louis-Philippe Roy drove the $4.10 winner for trainer Richard Moreau.
Trainer Carmen Auciello scored a natural hat trick midway through the card before finishing the evening with four victories. Starting in Race 5, Auciello sent Points North ($6.00) to a 1:50.2 victory in the evening's co-featured $30,000 pace. He then followed with wins from Sombre ($11.00) and Major Hill ($70.90) and sat out of the winner's circle until the nightcap when Born Of Fire ($4.50) scored as the favourite.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.