As college basketball fans watch the final games of March Madness, another kind of elite eight was on display at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, April 6. Taurasi won the $36,000 Preferred Pace and, in doing so, notched his eighth straight victory.
Driver Doug McNair was not in a hurry to send the five-year-old bay gelding to the lead, instead allowing Bob McClure to send longshot Poseidon Seelster to the lead and arrive first at the opening quarter in :27. Whichwaytothebeach rode the pocket until Sylvain Filion steered that gelding from the pocket to the lead upon entering the backstretch. As Whichwaytothebeach assumed the lead, Taurasi was out of the four-hole and underway. Taurasi tripped the half-mile teletimer beam in :55.1 before clearing into the lead soon afterward. Taurasi was unchallenged upon three-quarters in 1:23.1. The outcome was not in doubt after that point, with no urging needed by McNair to get Taurasi home in a season's best 1:49.4, finishing 2-3/4 lengths in front of Whichwaytothebeach, with Poseidon Seelster third.
Richard Moreau trains the son of Racing Hill and the Eleven A M mare Voluminous for Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. and Alagna Racing LLC of Jackson, New Jersey. The win brings Taurasi's career haul over the half-million dollar mark, with $509,321 in purse earnings. Taurasi is now six-for-six in 2024. Taurasi was one of only three winning favourites on the Saturday program, paying $2.40 to win.
Later on in the card, Sweet Deisel continued a streak of his own, visiting the winner's circle for the fifth straight time after a 1:50.3 score. Louis-Philippe Roy guided the eight-year-old bay gelding to the three-hole off the wings as Rock And Twist (Jonathan Drury) led the field to the quarter in :26.4, with Head Honcho (Brett MacDonald) riding the pocket. Much like Taurasi had done in sustaining his streak, Sweet Deisel set sail for the lead soon after turning onto the backstretch, reaching the half in :55.2 and three-quarters in 1:23.3.
Sweet Deisel is now batting .500 in 2024. The son of Sweet Lou out of the Bettors Delight mare Gentlemens Delight has six wins in 12 starts in 2024, with the Saturday clocking standing as a season's mark. Through 99 lifetime starts, the Brett Lester trainee has now amassed 26 wins and $287,825 in lifetime earnings. Mario Villani of North York, Ont. owns Sweet Deisel, who paid $2.80 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)
Taurasi
Miami Raceway in Ohio is holding a $100,000 Invitational on May 4, Kentucky Derby Day. That will most likely be Taurasi's first race on American soil in 2024.