It was a trot-heavy Monday at Woodbine Mohawk Park as the Campbellville oval hosted a set of series finals for the square-gaiters plus the weekly edition of the Preferred Trot as part of its 11-race program.
Sheswildnfree went down in flames as the 1-9 favourite after making an early miscue in last week’s second leg of the Wine & Roses Trotting Series, but she was solid gold in Monday’s bounce back score in the $34,400 final.
In rein to Sylvain Filion, the Ben Baillargeon trainee sped off the gate and took on Impulse Buy to the quarter pole in :27.3 before sweeping past that foe and grabbing the lead. Sheswildnfree then buzzed through middle splits of :57.1 and 1:25.4 before using a :28.3 closing quarter to win by 4-1/4 lengths over Impulse Buy in 1:54.2. Taking home third prize was Charlotte Chaplin.
Bred and owned by Tom and Elizabeth Rankin of St. Catharines, ON, the mare improved her 2021 record to four wins from five starts. The six-time winner lifted her lifetime earnings to $77,158 with the win.
The victory was one of six on the card by driver Sylvain Filion. The Quebec native also lit the lamp with Cool Rock (Race 4- 1:53.1), Bettim Again (Race 6 - 1:53.4), Hope So (Race 7 - 1:58.1) and Bluemoon Bayama (Race 8 - 1:53.4).
He also rallied to a 1:52.4 triumph in the $34,000 Preferred Trot with the Ben Baillargeon-trained Zig Zag. The five-year-old son of Royalty For Life-Lady Donato laid off hot fractions of :27.1, :55.3 and 1:24.2 before exploding home in :27.4 to win by a half-length margin over Perfetto. Third prize went to Its Academic.
Baillargeon shares ownership on the 10-time winner with Claude Hamel, Richard Thompson and Santo Vena. The $17,000 payday bumped his bankroll to $195,078.
Trainer Baillargeon added another win later on the card with Bautista (Race 10 - 1:54.3) to bring his nightly win total to three and his yearly total at Mohawk Park to 12.
RJs Invictus swept off cover to post an 8-1 upset in the $35,800 final of the Family Day Trotting Series for the duo of driver Bob McClure and trainer Ray Lowery.
The homebred got away fifth in the early going while So Long Hanover and Franks Angel battled to the quarter pole in :28 before Franks Angel marched by to take the lead. He cruised through middle splits of :57.1 and 1:25.4 while feeling first-over pressure from Meadowbranch Noble.
RJs Invictus was tracking cover from second over, and when the field swung into the lane McClure flipped his charge off cover and went into attack mode. RJs Invictus kicked home in :28.1 which was just enough to fend off the late-driving favourite, Toccoa Falls, by a neck in 1:54.1. Charmbo Prince, who was perfect in the preliminary legs, came on strong to finish third.
It was a lifetime best performance for the four-year-old son of Windsong Espoir-Kawartha Dukesgirl, who is owned by Russell Lowery of Maynooth, ON. The three-time winner now owns a 1-2-0 record from four trips to the track this season. The lion’s share of the loot lifted his overall cash stash to $50,899.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.