Julie Walker guided Prince Of Sussex to victory in Woodbine Mohawk Park's International Women’s Day race on Friday night, March 8.
A full field of 10 trotters lined up for Friday’s third race, featuring women driving, part of Woodbine’s International Women’s Day celebrations. It was the third consecutive year that Woodbine Mohawk Park hosted a race celebrating the women of harness racing.
Prince Of Sussex and Walker left out hard from post five in the $14,000 conditioned trot and got a two-hole trip behind favourite Meadowbranch Noble and Jessica Turenne. In the stretch, the favourite rolled off stride with an eighth of a mile to go, as Prince Of Sussex trotted up the inside for Walker and pulled away late to win by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:55.4 as the 2-1 second choice. Zip Me Up and Natasha Day finished second after a first-over bid while Eden Onthehill and Samara Johnson came on for third after starting from post 10.
Also taking part in the International Women’s Day race were Marie-Claude Auger, Anita Ouellette, Maggie Jones, Brittany Kennedy, Pam Forgie and Marielle Enberg.
“I was wanting the front end, but that was the best horse [Meadowbranch Noble] in the race to me, so I was quite happy sitting in the two-hole,” said Walker post-race. “[Prince Of Sussex] was down in class, so I think that was the confidence that I had…he had been racing pretty tough.”
Prince Of Sussex is a five-year-old Creatine gelding that currently races for owner Zacharie Lemay and co-owner/trainer Gerard Demers.
International Women's Day race participants (left to right): Jessica Turenne, Pam Forgie, Natasha Day, Anita Ouellette, Maggie Jones, Julie Walker, Marie-Claude Auger, Samara Johnson, Brittany Kennedy, Marielle Enberg.
Friday’s card started on a rough note after a two-horse accident occurred in the evening’s first race.
With the field of eight pacing mares approaching the half, the group got jammed up, which led to Stay Special and driver Jonathan Drury (racing seventh) falling in front of the trailing Yes Im Hungry and driver Phil Hudon. Both horses and drivers were able to walk off the track under their own power following the incident. Hudon completed his drives on the program and Drury returned to action for one more race but did book off his remaining drives.
Live harness racing continues on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Post time is 7:10 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Woodbine)