Off a defeat in last week’s top class, Jimmy Freight returned to upend odds-on favourite Wheels On Fire and take the $36,000 Preferred Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (March 26).
Uhtred tripped the quarter in :27.4 on the lead with Jimmy Freight sitting second and Wheels On Fire positioned fourth to the backstretch. With no challengers up the backstretch, Uhtred slowed the tempo to a :57 half and accelerated to the final turn as Wheels On Fire revved off the pegs from fourth and barreled towards the pacesetter to three-quarters in 1:24.4. Wheels On Fire grabbed the lead from Uhtred off the corner as Jimmy Freight swung off the cones to the center and came charging at the leader late to seize the front and pass the line a neck better in 1:52.2. Uhtred gave chase in third, beaten another two lengths, with Points North fourth.
Owned by Adriano Sorella, Jimmy Freight won his fifth race from 11 starts this season and his 26th from 65 overall, lifting his earnings to $1,558,125. Louis-Philippe Roy drove the Richard Moreau-trained seven-year-old Sportswriter stallion, who paid $11.80 to win.
Later in the card, Linedrive Hanover ($3.30) remained unbeaten on the year while taking his seventh consecutive victory with a 1:53 effort in a $25,000 overnight pace. The Anthony Beaton trainee raced fifth through early fractions of :28.1 and :55.3 before driver James MacDonald tipped the four-year-old Betting Line gelding off the cones to race second over to the final turn. By three-quarters in 1:24.1, MacDonald motored Linedrive Hanover off cover and coasted to a 1-3/4-length victory as the odds-on favourite.
A half-million-dollar-plus carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 paid out in the last race on the card, brewing a pool of over $1.5 million. Farmers Tan survived an overland grind to snatch victory from 7-5 favourite No Better Joy in the final sixteenth, winning by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.1. Pacesetter River Dali gave way to finish third while Good And Sweet swept from off the speed to take fourth from Little Manny. The 1-6-5-2-8 combo, for a $.20 wager, returned $677.42.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.