The second leg of the Blizzard Pacing Series went postward in the form of two divisions on Thursday at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and a second straight victory by Ruby On Rails has put her in position to sweep the event.
After notching a 1:55.3 tally in week one of the series, Ruby On Rails rallied for a 1:55.1 triumph in round two of the event.
Bob McClure got away slowly from Post 2 with the mare who watched Big Myrtle throw down first quarter speed of :27 before relinquishing the top spot to State Of Mind at the mid-way point in :56.3. McClure pulled the trigger on Ruby On Rails in the backstretch, and the mare made an eye-catching move to the top around the final turn. She led while racing parked at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.4, then opened up a big lead before kicking home in :28.2 to win by three-quarters of a length over Filter Hanover. Big Myrtle was third.
Sent off as the 6-5 favourite, the Nick Gallucci trainee improved this year’s record to 2-2-0 from five starts with the win. The four-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight-Luck On The Run is a four-time winner who boasts a bankroll of $43,365 for owner/breeder Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont.
Somewhere North skipped week one of the series, but came up big in leg two of the series for the tandem of driver Bob McClure and trainer Meg Crone.
Riding a two-race winning streak coming into the $17,000 assignment, Somewhere North dropped into an early pocked behind tempo-setting Laila Blue. She led the field to the quarter pole in :28 before Somewhere North swept to the top as the field moved into the backstretch.
Once on the lead, Somewhere North sailed through easy splits of :58.3 and 1:27.4 before exploding home in :27.2 to win by 1-3/4 lengths over Laila Blue in 1:55.1. Taking home the show dough was Larjon Leah.
It was the third win of the season from four attempts for the Pinske Stables’ homebred. The seven-time winner boosted her lifetime earnings to $54,400 with the win.
It was a memorable Thursday night at the office for trainer Kyle Ruhl who nabbed his first ever training win thanks to a second race score with trotter Halliday Dream.
Ruhl, who was sending out the fifth starter of his career, watched Bob McClure guide the four-year-old son of Angus Hall-Dreaming to the victory in a time of 1:59.2.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.