Taurasi turned heads with a scintillating 1:48 mile in the $28,000 Preferred 2 Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, July 26 for his first tally at that level since May.
Doug McNair had the gelding firing out from post eight before tucking in third heading into the first turn in a :26 quarter. Write Me A Rose (Travis Henry) left the two-hole to take the lead just past that point, but Taurasi sent him right back to the pocket with a strong brush before the half in :54. Taurasi would get no breather as Its Major Major A (Tyler Borth) came knocking immediately, sprinting up to challenge on the final turn.
Those two were noses apart around the final turn and battled through three-quarters in 1:20.2, continuing to throw down into the stretch. A tireless Taurasi put Its Major Major A away in deep-stretch, and he had enough left to reach the finish in time and prevail over a closing Century Komodo (Jody Jamieson) by three-quarters of a length. Its Major Major A finished third.
Taurasi improved to three-for-14 on the year for trainer Gregg McNair and owners Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. and Alagna Racing LLC of Jackson, N.J. The six-year-old Raing Hill-Voluminous gelding has amassed 26 wins and $790,924 in earnings in 71 career starts. He paid $5.60 to win.
Allstar Maniac rallied in the final eighth of a mile to take the sub-featured $25,000 Open Pace for three-year-olds. He was first to the front for Billy Davis Jr. in a :25.4 first section but allowed Set Shot (Bob McClure) to take over and lead through :54.2 and 1:22 middle panels. Allstar Maniac, locked in the pocket coming down the stretch, found a way through at the pylons late and powered past Set Shot to score in a lifetime-best 1:49.1. Joel And The Jets (Jamieson) was third.
Allstar Maniac, an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Mid-Season champion last year, is two-for-four in 2025 for trainer Nick Gallucci and owner Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont. The sophomore All Bets Off-Shes A Maniac gelding has won four times and earned $175,784 in 11 lifetime appearances. He returned $4.10 to win.
Drinkin Buddy ($11.10) prevailed in the $25,000 Pop-Up Series Final, scoring by a head in 1:50.4 for driver Davis and trainer Heather Pickett, who co-owns the six-year-old gelding with Rick Pickett. Lamborghini Lou ($3.80) took the $15,000 Pop-Up Series Consolation. The series was for Horses and Geldings that were non-winners of $25,000 in 10 or more starts in 2025, with horses that started for purse of $10,000 or less in their previous start also eligible.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)