Off to a perfect start in his four-year-old campaign, O'Brien Award-winning trotter Ghostly Casper earned his second straight victory in the Canadian Sired Graduate Series with a 1:53.4 score for driver Tyler Borth and trainer Ben Baillargeon during an action-packed Friday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The Canadian Sired Graduate Series for four-year-olds continued on Friday with the evening's second legs comprised of one $25,000 division for trotters and one for pacing mares.
Passarino got the first call in the trotting tilt as he sped off the gate through a :27.4 opening quarter with outsider Tuscan Prince progressing alongside in the turn and then clearing to command into the backstretch. After a breather to the half in :57, he faced pressure from Like Chaos out of third as they raced to three-quarters in 1:25.1. Down the stretch, Tuscan Prince and Like Chaos were in close quarters while Passarino was looking for room at the pylons and favourite Ghostly Casper launched off cover. Tuscan Prince's lead was spoiled as he broke stride and interfered with Like Chaos, leaving the favourite to forge ahead for the one-length victory. Osceola came on late for second forcing Passarino to settle for third.
Ghostly Casper is now a six-time winner with $646,179 earned from 31 trips behind the gate. The son of Resolve out of Cool Creek Breeze races for the partnership of Baillargeon, Teresa Davidson, Santo Vena and Nunzio Vena.
He paid $3.50 to win as the 3-5 bettors' choice.
In the pacing mares division, a pocket-popping Powder Play caught the 4-5 favoured opening round winner Talk Curdy To Me at the wire in 1:51.4 for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Meg Crone.
The initial panel was full of action with three lead changes. Longshot Ima Doll was the first to the front with Powder Play sweeping by in the first turn and then the parked Talk Curdy To Me pressing on to get a nose in front near the :27.2 quarter pole before clearing. Talk Curdy To Me continued on top from there through middle splits of :56.1 and 1:24.2 with O'Brien Award winner One Last Wish backed up in her season's debut as the outer flow developed, but it was Powder Play who posed the biggest threat from the pocket as she lunged late to steal the glory. Ima Doll held for third 2-1/4 lengths behind the top two mares who were separated by just a head.
After finishing less than a length behind Talk Curdy To Me in their first series match-up last week, Powder Play was sent off as the 5-2 second choice and paid $7.60 to win.
The Sportswriter-Laurels Lea mare, who is now four-for-10 this year, picked up her 11th career victory from 39 starts and boosted her bankroll to $158,505 for owner Robert Woodburn.
The Canadian Graduate Series consists of three preliminary legs and $75,000 added finals, which will take place on Saturday, May 4.
The Ontario Sired Spring Series also continued on Friday with the second leg for three-year-old colts and geldings consisting of one $18,000 division for trotters and two for pacers. The conditioned series is for non-winners of $30,000 in 2023.
Captain Wania topped the trotters in a new mark of 1:56.4 for the husband and wife, driver and trainer team of Trevor and Shannon Henry.
Parked leaving from the outside post six, Captain Wania cleared early leader Wheelzablazin after a :28.4 quarter and was left all alone on the lead when that rival broke stride while challenging from the pocket down the stretch. After leading through middle splits of :58.3 and 1:28.2, Captain Wania capped off his 4-1/4-length score with a :28.2 final frame. The Canam Banker finished second and HP Musical Alarm rounded out the top three.
With the undefeated opening leg winner Convoy Hall not entered in the second round, Captain Wania was the heavy 2-5 favourite off his runner-up finish to that foe last week and paid $2.50 to win.
Unraced as a two-year-old, Captain Wania (Resolve-Miss Everything), who is out of a full sister to stallions Holiday Road and Ken Warkentin, earned his third win in 10 starts for owners Trevor Henry Stables Inc., James Fleming and David Hudson.
Max Patrick pulled off a 10-1 upset in the first 10-horse division for pacers, prevailing in a three-across finish in a career-best 1:53.1 mile for driver Bob McClure and trainer Gabriella Sasso.
Max Patrick followed in sixth behind fractions of :27.2 and :56.2 before tracking the cover of 3-5 favoured first round winner Warraweeforlaura through the final turn as three-quarters went in 1:24.4. Max Patrick kicked home in :27 off cover to prevail by a half-length over longshot leader Price Control and Warraweeforlaura.
Max Patrick, who finished fourth in the opening leg of the series, returned $22.80 to his backers for a $2 win ticket.
The Sportswriter-Greenwich Girl gelding, whose second dam is Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame broodmare Mystic Mistress, is owned by Jeffrey Courchesne and Martwest Racing Stable. He made the third start of his sophomore season a winning one and now has a pair of victories overall on his 16-race resume.
Your Party celebrated a new lifetime mark as he won his division in 1:53 flat for trainer/driver Martin Lachance and owner Uptownpets Com Stable Inc.
Leaving from post seven, Lachance put his trainee on the point by the :28.3 quarter mark and Your Party put away a first-over challenge from Great Bet through middle splits of :57.2 and 1:25 before holding off the early pocketed Tamworth Boy by three-quarters of a length. The late-closing favourite JMR Speak Away got up for third.
After rebounding from a break in stride to finish second behind the aforementioned Warraweeforlaura in the opening round, Your Party was the slight second choice at odds of 5-2 and paid $7.80 to win.
The Stag Party colt out of former world champion millionairess Not Enough went two-for-seven as a rookie and has now added three more wins to his resume through his first 11 starts of his sophomore year.
The $40,000 added finals of the Ontario Sired Spring Series for each division will be contested on Saturday, April 27.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)