Finding an opening late, Wheels On Fire claimed victory in the $36,000 Preferred Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (July 4).
Driver Doug McNair launched Wheels On Fire for the front from post 7 for the front but then yielded command to odds-on favourite Evenwood Sonofagun past a :26.4 first quarter. Evenwood Sonofagun continued on the lead through a :55.1 half but endured pressure rounding the far turn as Casimir Richie P flushed first over and raced within a length of the lead through three-quarters in 1:23.3.
Evenwood Sonofagun clung to command as Casimir Richie P hung and veered wide, leaving room for Wheels On Fire to burst through the middle into the final eighth. Wheels On Fire lunged for the lead and managed to put a nose in front on the finish, forcing Evenwood Sonofagun into second. Casimir Richie P settled for third.
Winning his fifth race from 11 starts this season and his 19th from 50 overall, Wheels On Fire has earned $298,103. Brad Grant owns the five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding who paid $5.90 to win.
Wheels On Fire was one of three victories for trainer Richard Moreau on the evening. Two races prior, Legion Seelster ($7.20) rolled to a 1:49.1 victory in a $24,000 conditioned pace and—even earlier on the card—So Much Bettor spurred a 55-1 upset in a $20,000 conditioned pace, paying $112.90 to win.
In the co-featured $32,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred, Kendall Seelster kicked off a pylon trip to a 1:50.3 victory.
Treacherous Reign—the 8-5 co-favourite—cleared command from 8-5 co-favourite Boadicea past a :26.1 first quarter while Kendall Seelster raced in fourth. Treacherous Reign rolled to the half in :55.1 but accelerated again as Boadicea popped pocket nearing three-quarters in 1:24.2. Boadicea took a narrow lead coming into the stretch but Treacherous Reign battled back to the inside to reclaim command. The two drifted off the cones, leaving an opening for Kendall Seelster to skim the cones and rip to the lead in the final strides. Treacherous Reign settled for second with Boadicea third.
A five-year-old mare by Shadow Play, Kendall Seelster won her fourth race from 13 starts this season and her 26th from 72 overall, earning $1,041,526. Rod Boyd trains the $25.40 winner for owner 1187422 Ontario Inc. while Robert Shepherd drove the winner.
A pair of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold splits were also contested on the Saturday program. A recap of those events can be found here.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.