Sent off as the 8-5 favourite, Nautical Hanover grabbed the lead and clenched the front till the end to take the $42,000 Free For All Pace on Saturday night (April 15) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Driver Sylvain Filion fired the four-year-old Captaintreacherous stallion to the lead before a :27.2 first quarter and faced no challengers through a :56.4 half. Saulsbrook Victor waited to get underway until three-quarters in 1:24.1 and began gaining ground outside as pocket-sitter Wheels On Fire laid his attack. Wheels On Fire encroached on the lead late through the inside but Nautical Hanover kept his nose in front to win in 1:50.4. Saulsbrook Victor finished third and The Longest Yard took fourth.
Ben Baillargeon trains Nautical Hanover for owner Richard Berthiaume. The pacer won his ninth race from 38 starts and has now banked $339,117. He paid $5.10 to win.
So Much More returned to her peers and toured the Mohawk oval while winning the $42,000 Fillies and Mares Free For All Pace in 1:50.2.
Need To Breathe bolted to the top to a :27.1 first quarter while driver James MacDonald floated So Much More off the wings to race fourth. Though the pace stayed honest to a :55.2 half, MacDonald brushed So Much More out of fourth to the top and maintained her speed through the remainder of the mile. Clicking three-quarters in 1:23.1, So Much More held her ground through the lane to post a 1-1/2-length win over Need To Breathe with Style For A Mile closing for third and Lock Bridge settling for fourth.
Don Beatson trains and co-owns So Much More with Kenneth Beatson and Cole England. The seven-year-old Big Jim mare has now won 61 races from 135 starts and earned $1,335,095. She paid $2.50 to win.
In the $32,000 Preferred 2 Pace, Roll With The Flow capitalized off a pocket ride to win in 1:49 -- the fastest mile in Canada this year.
Points North, the 2-1 favourite, set a pace of :26.3, :55 and 1:22 before folding in the lane to Roll With The Flow, who slid a half length in front at the finish with Woodmere Stealdeal taking third and Lets Tie One On finishing fourth.
Blake MacIntosh conditions and co-owns the winning four-year-old Roll With Joe gelding for owners Hutt Racing Stable and Middlebrook Racing L P. The win was the 13th in the career for Roll With The Flow and pushed his earnings to $249,363. He paid $7.20 to win.
The first preliminary of the Ontario-Sired Graduate Series for pacers went to post on the Saturday undercard, and Cold Creek Queso made his seasonal debut a winning one with a 1:51.4 victory.
The four-year-old Betterthancheddar gelding raced third as Camara Moment carved fractions of :27.1, :57.1 and 1:26.2. Driver Sylvain Filion fired Cold Creek Queso from third spinning for home and uncorked a :25 final quarter to collar Camara Moment by three-quarter lengths with Magical Arthur finishing third off a pocket trip and Dreamfair Arnie B closing for fourth.
Murray Brethour trains Cold Creek Queso, an eight-time winner and earner of $297,564, for owner Cold Creek Standardbred. He paid $4.40 to win.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Sat. night at Mohawk
I think last night's racing program at Mohawk was the best overall racecard in North America so far in 2023: 2 Free For Alls, a Preferred, no overnight trotting races, and the sole claiming race was for mid-level claimers. Seven of the 13 races were for purses of more than $20,000.