In a fantastic photo finish, Chalk Hanover got up to win by a neck in the featured pacing event of the night on the Tuesday, June 25 card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Starting from the six-hole, Chalk Hanover, with James MacDonald at the reins, was still sitting in sixth spot at the three-quarter pole as Always A Thrill and Doug McNair cut fractions of :26.2, :53.3 and 1:21 in the $18,000 pace for three-year-old colts and geldings who were Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series starters.
Chalk Hanover began to make his move and the Bettors Delight gelding was third by the top the stretch. Chalk Hanover, Do Better and Always A Thrill all hit the wire in 1:50.1, with Chalk Hanover getting up to win by a neck for trainer David Menary. Do Better and Sylvain Fillion wound up second by a neck over Bob McIntosh stablemate Always A Thrill.
Owned by Menary Racing Inc. of Rockton, Ont. and Anthony Timmins, of Birmingham, Great Britain, Chalk Hanover won for the third time in in his last five starts. The gelding is 4-3-0 in 11 starts this year, good for earnings of $62,280. The 1:50.1 victory was a new lifetime mark for the career earner of $73,420.
In Tuesday's feature trot with a purse of $18,000, Valuable Miss with Trevor Henry in the bike took the win in 1:54.3. The three-year-old My MVP filly reached the winner's circle for the first time since a victory last September in the Champlain Stakes.
The Kyle Bossence trainee is 3-3-1 in 16 lifetime starts with a bankroll of $207,945. Bossence and Henry, both of Arthur, Ont., share ownership in Valuable Miss with William J. Pendleton of Kenilworth, Ont.
For results from Tuesday's card of harness racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park, click the following link: Tuesday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)