Round one of the Summertime Pacing Series was contested Thursday evening at Mohawk Racetrack, with twenty-three sophomores split into a trio of $20,000 divisions.
Burning Shore got the better of the 1-2 favourite, Nickle Bag, in the first division for the tandem of driver Mike Saftic and trainer Eric Adams. The homebred son of No Pan Intended laid down panels of :26.3, :55.2 and 1:23.3 before scooting home in :28.2 to win by 2-1/2 lengths in a career-best clocking of 1:52. Nickle Bag was next best, with third prize going to Red Magician.
Sent off at odds of 5-2 in seven-horse affair, Burning Shore improved this year’s record to 5-1-2 from 10 trips behind the starting gate. He’s banked just shy of $50,000 this year and close to $60,000 in his career. The five-time winner is less than $1,000 shy of potting $60,000 to date.
Manchester came up with a 6-1 upset in the second division for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Therese Vrablic. The son of Western Terror- Her Odyssey, who got away sixth, watched the trio of Scott Rocks, Ahdoughnolum and Closing Credits fire off the gate. Closing Credits was parked to the quarter in :26.2 after making a brief bobble when making his bid for the lead. He reset and continued to lead the group through first-half fractions of :26.2 and :54.4 before giving way to Scott Rocks going into the final turn. Scott Rocks led to the three-quarter pole in 1:23.1, but he was no match for Manchester in the closing strides. Manchester uncorked a :28-second closing quarter en route to posting a four-length win over race favourite Ahdoughnolum, with Scott Rocks fading to finish third.
Vrablic shares ownership on the two-time winner with Kevin Power and Charlene Lyon. The group has watched the gelding stash away more than $45,000 to date.
Lucan Hanover dominated in the third – and final – tilt for trainer Casie Coleman and driver Scott Zeron. Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, the son of Western Ideal-Lauren Order was parked beyond the opening half of the contest, but that didn’t stop him from brushing to the front on the way to the final turn and then using a :28-second final frame to win by four lengths over Mach Set Go in 1:50.1 Tauranga grabbed the show dough.
West Wins Stable of Cambridge shares ownership on the gelding with Christine Calhoun of Chatham, and together the partners have watched the gelding stash away close to $44,000
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.