Pop Up Series Sequel Contested At Mohawk Park

Round two of the Pop Up Series for horse and gelding pacers was contested Monday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park with three divisions going postward on the 10-race card.

Royal Renegade pulled off an upset to the tune of 18-1 in the first division for the duo of driver Louis-Philippe Roy and trainer Brett Lester.

Roy made the lead from Post 8 with the veteran, and after chopping out a first quarter of :27.1 the gelding gave way to Sometime Somewhere.  That one then led the group through middle splits of :55.2 and 1:23.4.  Race favourite Thrilling Times applied heavy pressure on the leader in the middle stages of the mile before fading late.

Royal Renegade popped off the rail going to the three-quarter pole and then used a :27.4 closing panel to win by three-quarters of a length over the hard-charging Hunter Hill in 1:51.4.  Night Watchman was third.    

Eric Rosene of Bolton, Ont. owns the 10-year-old son of JK Royal Flush-Palma Ceia.  It was his third win of the season and the 34th of his career.  The lion’s share of the $12,500 purse bumped his career cash stash to $408,740.

Hesincontrol was a popular winner in the second division for driver Doug McNair and trainer Lyle MacArthur.

Lyons Johnnyjnr shot to the top from Post 9 and had the field chasing him past the quarter pole in :26.4.  Clever Character swept past time in the backstretch, but he was then looped by Hesincontrol.  The 6-5 favourite cleared and then cruised through middle fractions of :54.4 and 1:22 before using a :27.2 closing quarter to win by 8-1/4 lengths over Bolt Power in 1:49.2.  Rays Kredit was third.       

Linda Wellwood and Tammy Aspden share ownership on the four-year-old son of Control The Moment-Southwind Madonna.  The victory improved his 2022 record to 4-1-3 from 14 starts while lifting his lifetime earnings to $106,054.

Illgetmyown Thanks rallied from the backfield to take home top honours in the third – and final – division for driver James MacDonald.

The six-year-old son of Shadow Play-Talula Seelster got away fifth while Good And Sweet powered to the position of command and threw down panels of :26.3, :55.3 and 1:23.3.  Illgetmyown Thanks tipped out to catch cover on the way to the three-quarter pole and then used a closing quarter clocked in :27 to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Good And Sweet in 1:51.2.  Jewels Dragon took home the show dough.       

Trainer Dale Fritz co-owns the gelding with Michael Sawyer, Edward Acheson and B W P Stable.  The win was his first of the season and the ninth of his career.  He’s now banked over $90,000 to date.

Alex Having Fun was a wire-to-wire winner in the final division for driver Sylvain Filion and trainer Richard Moreau.

Filion blasted to the top from Post 4 with the gelding who led the group through fractions of :27.3, :56.2 and 1:24 before blazing home in :26.4 to win by 4-1/2 lengths over Dragon Energy in 1:50.4.  Rounding out the Trifecta ticket was Print Media.       

Ecurie CSL and Gaston Bibeau share ownership on the five-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven-Arterra who improved this year’s record to 5-2-5 from 19 starts with the win.  The 18-time winner pushed his lifetime earning past $140,000 in the process.

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.