After using come-from-behind tactics to take down last week’s opening leg of the Ontario Girls Pacing Series, Awesome Hill employed front-end tactics en route to capturing Thursday’s second leg of the series at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
With Doug McNair barking out orders from the sulky, Awesome Hill sprinted out from the rail and secured the early lead. She was on top through panels of :28.1, :58.2 and 1:27.1 before unleashing a :27.4 closing quarter which was enough to earn her the win by 1-1/4 lengths over the dead-heating tandem of Just Daisy and Village Jade in 1:55.
Chantal Mitchell trains the homebred for owner Tom Hill of Hamilton, ON. The four-year-old daughter of Sunshine Beach-Taxi Fare Hanover now boasts a 3-1-0 record from five trips to the track this season. The nine-time winner has banked $115,454 to date.
Thursday evening’s card also featured the opening leg of the Pop Up Series for $8,500 claiming pacers, with two divisions going postward for $12,000 apiece.
Choreographer was a wire-to-wire winner in the opening division for driver Bob McClure. In his first start following a pair of anything-but-flashy qualifiers, the seven-year-old son of Well Said-Boheman Dancer sliced out fractions of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:25.2 before using a :29.3 closing quarter to win by four lengths over Hello Rocky in 1:55. Ateyatefngerslouie took home the show dough.
Trained and owned by Scott West of Rockwood, ON, the gelding was claimed from the winning effort. He’s a 12-time winner with earnings standing in excess of $140,000.
Thundering Jim broke out of a mini slump thanks to his 1:54.3 triumph in the second division for the tandem of driver Jonathan Drury and trainer Carmen Auciello. Winless in his first five starts of 2022 after going 11-for-28 in 2021, the six-year-old son of Woodstock-Emission Control got away third before marching to lead at the mid-way point in :58. He led the field to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.1 and then kicked home in :28.2 to win by 2-1/4 lengths over Lyons Image in 1:54.3. Mach Lee finished third.
Dan Sarafian of Unionville, ON owns the 23-time winner who lifted his lifetime earnings to $$107,469 with the win.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.