Following victories in round one last week, favourites Charmbo Stormy and Coz Im Special continued their dominance in a Pop-Up Series for pacing fillies and mares on Friday, March 14 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
This Pop-Up Series is for female pacers that were non-winners of $30,000 or not averaging $1,700 per start in 2024 with a minimum of 15 starts.
The opening leg winners drew into separate $16,000 divisions for leg two and each delivered on their pari-mutuel promises, setting up a showdown for the series title in next Friday's $35,000 final.
Overcoming an outside post, 1-2 favourite Charmbo Stormy (pictured above) made the lead after a quick opening quarter for driver Louis-Philippe Roy and posted an impressive career-best 1:52.2 mile with a :26.3 final frame, winning by 2-1/4 lengths over pocket pursuer Lady Get Lucky (Doug McNair) and a first-over Red Carpet Ready (Jonathan Drury). Trained by Jared Mann for owner Ronald Nobes of Fergus, Ont., the seven-year-old Sportswriter-Charmbo Lucky mare sprinted the fastest final quarter of her 122-start career to record her 20th win and shave three-fifths of a second off her lifetime mark that she had established a week ago.
In the other division, Doug McNair sent 1-5 bettors' choice Coz Im Special on a successful first-over mission from mid-pack at the half-mile mark, winning in a season's best 1:53.4 by a length over the pylon-skimming Flight Crew N (Billy Davis Jr.) and second-over closer Better Be Donna N (Jonathan Drury). A career winner of 22 races, the seven-year-old Mystery Chase-Cozamel mare is currently trained by Gregg McNair for owner Rick Rier of Hanover, Ont.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)