Lets N Joy N’s tear continued on Saturday, April 18 at Woodbine Mohawk Park as the red-hot mare cut the mile in the $40,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace for her eighth victory in 10 starts on the year.
Out-left by Glenboro (Jonathan Drury) off the gate, James MacDonald passed up a pocket spot to send Lets N Joy N to the top in a :27 first fraction. The four-year-old maintained a solid tempo through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:24, keeping the first-over Angostura Hanover (Bob McClure) 2-1/2 lengths behind as they rounded the last turn. The mare hit top gear as she straightened for the stretch, and little work from MacDonald was required to get her home a one-length winner in a lifetime-best 1:51.4. Absolution (Trevor Henry) surged home for second off cover, passing Angostura Hanover late.
Lets N Joy N has hit the exactor in all 10 of her starts since moving to Canada from Australia, winning eight including two Fillies and Mares Opens. Jacques Dupont trains the daughter of Bettors Delight-Rock N Joy for Ecurie CSL of Sorel-Tracy, Que. The mare is now 12-for-17 lifetime with $142,662 in earnings. She paid $2.90 to win.
Calicojack Hanover snagged his first win of the season in the $30,000 Open 2 Pace. After settling in fourth to the quarter in :26.2, Tyler Jones marched the 6-5 favourite to the lead before the half in :55, and Calicojack Hanover was in control through three-quarters in 1:22.2 and down the lane, cruising past the wire to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:50.1. Dublin Dasher (Travis Cullen) held off the closing Ayeaye Captain Deo (James MacDonald) for second.
Calicojack Hanover, trained by Luc Blais for Determination of Montreal, Que., improved to one-for-three this year. The 2025 Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup winner took his 12th career win and increased his bankroll to $533,288 in 45 starts. The five-year-old son of Captaintreacherous-Charisma Hanover returned $4.50 at the windows.
The preliminary rounds of the Ontario-sired Spring Series wrapped up, with the second leg for males divided into two pacing divisions and one trotting contest, each going for a purse of $18,000.
Rip The Page, third in the first leg, was a blowout winner in the first pacing division as he went all the way in 1:54. Unchallenged through early fractions of :27.2 and :56.4, Rip The Page began to expand his advantage on the way to three-quarters in 1:25.2, and the son of Sportswriter-D Gs Fairystars was five lengths ahead at the finish. Corona Seelster (Tyler Borth) was second best, followed by D A Bodacious (Louis-Philippe Roy).
Rip The Page is now two-for-four in his debut season with $22,560 in earnings for trainer Gregg McNair, who co-owns the colt with George Kerr of Gowanstown, Ont., Matthew McManus of Burlington, Ont. and Jason Badder of Thamesville, Ont. He paid $3.70 to win.
Dr Dave rocketed home in the second split for pacers and was up in time to nail leg-one winner Letr Sink Son and pacesetter Count On Gord in a photo . Tyler Jones had the Cattlewash-Mystic Dance gelding sixth through the early splits of :27.3 and :56.3 until mobilizing him to the outside approaching the last turn as Letr Sink Son (Travis Henry) and Count On Gord (Doug McNair) battled up front. Dr Dave raced third-over past three-quarters in 1:25.2 and was still fifth at the eighth pole, but he exploded onto the scene late and reached up to prevail by a nose in 1:54. Letr Sink Son was a game second, getting past Count On Gord in the final strides.
Francis Dumouchel trains the winner, who is two-for-10 lifetime with $24,680 in the bank. Saturday’s win was his first of 2026 in four tries for owners Dumouchel and Jenna McNiven Standardbred Ltd. of Embro, Ont. and John Nizlek of Danbury, Conn. The win price was $37.40.
Fourth Gear upset in the trotting dash, rallying wide out of the pocket to post a maiden-breaking victory in 1:58.2. The sophomore Archangel-Late Shift colt led to the quarter in :28.4 for Trevor Henry before yielding to P L Talladega (Todd Ratchford) on the backstretch. He followed along in the pocket past the half in :58.2, then slid out into the flow as the second-over Up To No Gouda (Bob McClure) broke stride at three-quarters in 1:28.3. Fourth Gear drifted out coming off the turn and cruised past foes down the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length over the closing Switch (Travis Cullen). Century Massiah (Phil Hudon) was third.
The winning Shannon Henry trainee took his first win in two starts on the campaign and 10 lifetime. Fourth Gear has now earned $14,400 for Hutt Racing Stable of Malvern, Pa., Scott McEneny of Carlisle, Ont., Martwest Racing Stable of Mississauga, Ont. and Cantucky Farm Inc. of Jarvis, Ont. Win tickets returned $40.90.
The Ontario-sired Spring Series, for three-year-olds that did not win $30,000 or more last year, will conclude with $40,000 (added) finals on Saturday, April 25.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)