Racing well off the speed early, Treacherous Reign propelled herself down the centre of the course to deliver as the 7-5 favourite in her four-year-old debut, winning the $32,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred Pace on Saturday (June 27) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Sitting ninth to a :26.3 quarter, Treacherous Reign remained towards the back as Sunny Dee circled past Sylph Hanover to the lead. Sunny Dee led the field by the half in :55.2 as Better Be Donna N tipped first over from fifth with many behind her floating wide for cover.
Driver Bob McClure pulled Treacherous Reign to race fourth over around the final turn. Sunny Dee meanwhile hit three-quarters in 1:23 but began to run out of steam into the stretch. Mares fanned across the track for the sprint to the finish as Sunny Dee folded—Sylph Hanover slid from the pocket through the pylons to claim a slight lead just as McClure revved Treacherous Reign. Past the eighth pole Sylph Hanover narrowly led but could not hold off Treacherous Reign’s kick as the Tony Alagna trainee darted to land three-quarter lengths in front in a 1:50.3 mile. Kendall Seelster, from third over, grabbed show.
A four-year-old mare by Captaintreacherous, Treacherous Reign collected her 12th win from 30 starts, earning $839,102 for owners Alagna Racing LLC, Big Als Stables, Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Dana Parham. She paid $2.90 to win in her first start since finishing third in the $165,900 Matron Stakes at Dover Downs on Nov. 14.
McClure came back a few races later to take the $36,000 Preferred Pace with odds-on favourite Evenwood Sonofagun in a 1:50.2 mile.
Matticulous GB sprinted to the lead while Evenwood Sonofagun tucked into third passing a :25.2 first quarter. As Matticulous GB decelerated, McClure sent Evenwood Sonofagun for the front and cleared past a :53.1 half. Wheels On Fire mounted a challenge from third rounding the final turn and drew onto equal terms with the leader just past three-quarters in 1:22.2. Though Evenwood Sonofagun put away Wheels On Fire with ease and maintained command through the stretch as Casimir Richie P closed to finish second, one-and-a-half lengths behind. Wheels On Fire settled for third.
Owned by Raymond Huschka, Evenwood Sonofagun won his sixth race from nine starts this season and his 34th from 53 overall, earning $187,149. Colin Johnson conditions the eight-year-old gelding by The Firepan who paid $3.20 to win.
The Saturday card also featured six divisions of the $139,950 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The recap can be found by clicking this link.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.
I think last night's card at
I think last night's card at Mohawk was the best overall race card at any North American track so far this year. There wasn't a single race with a purse of less than $20,000, and despite the rain, the "slowest" race of the night went in 1:52.2. Kudos to Mohawk's race secretary.