It was a round trip to victory lane in the Tie Silk Series for Tarot, but it took a little help from the Ontario Racing Commission judges for the Dave Tyrrell trainee to accomplish the feat.
Tarot, who was a 1:56.4 winner in last week’s opening leg assignment, was second-placed-first in Monday’s follow-up performance. The placing was a result of Hemi Seelster drifting out and causing interference to Tarot in deep stretch.
Amityville Lindy led the field to the quarter pole in :27.3 before In Secret rushed to the front and carved out middle fractions of :57 and 1:27. Hemi Seelster commenced a first-over rally going to the half, and he was followed by Tarot. Hemi Seelster worked his way to the lead as the field entered the lane, and he dug in deep to fend off late pressure from the breaking Tarot in a time of 1:55. The judges promptly lit the ‘Inquiry’ sign and eventually placed Hemi Seelster from first to second for impeding Tarot in the lane. Tarot was second-placed first. Amityville Lindy took home the show dough.
Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, Tarot improved his 2015 record to 6-1-0 from 10 starts for owner Michael Casalino, Jr. of Freehold, New Jersey. Randy Waples mapped out the winning trip for the three-year-old son of Taurus Dream-Catch Dream. The $7,500 payday boosted the gelding’s bankroll to $66,300. He matched his lifetime mark by trotting his mile in 1:55.2.
Duh Bubbees pulled off the upset in the first division thanks to his 1:56.3 triumph for driver Sylvain Filion. The gelding buzzed to the early lead and carved out the opening quarter in :28.1 before being overtaken in the backstretch by Raising Richard. That longshot wheeled the group through middle fractions of :57.1 and 1:26.3 before being overtaken by Dub Bubbees in the stretch. Duh Bubbees used a :30-second closing quarter to win by one-quarter of a length over race favourite Covert Operative. Top Dollar rallied form far back to claim third prize.
Jamie Wilson trains the three-year-old son of Up Front Ben-Nothing To Justify for owner Chris Wilson of Huron Park, Ontario. The gelding won for the first time this season and for the fourth time in his career. It was a new lifetime mark for the career winner of $29,704.
The top ten money winners from the preliminary legs of the series will have the opportunity to race in next Monday’s $34,000 final of the Tie Silk Series at Mohawk Racetrack.
Charmed Life rocketed to a North American season’s record in Monday’s $34,000 Preferred Trot thanks to her 1:52.3 score for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Dave Menary.
The five-year-old daughter of Majestic Son-Christina M, who won her 2015 debut at Woodbine Racetrack on January 19, returned from the sidelines and was a convincing winner over Southwind Warsaw and Daylon Magician, who had his three-race winning streak snapped in the process.
Menary Racing Inc, Brad Gray and Mike Guerriero own the 18-time winner who has banked in excess of $750,000 to date.
Mitt Jagger, who is listed at 50-1 in Trot Magazine's Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, was a 1:52.2 winner in his $18,000 conditioned assignment with Paul MacDonell in tow.
Trainer Bob Young, who co-owns the homebred son of Rocknroll Hanover-Artimittateslife with Paul Gazzola and Brian Barton, watched the sophomore lead his foes through fractions of :26.3, :55.3 and 1:24.1 before using a :28.1 closing panel to seal the deal.
It was the colt’s second win of the year in as many tries, and it marked the third time he’d been to the winner’s circle in his career. The winner of $56,500 owns a 3-3-0 record from seven lifetime starts.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.