Prepping for next week's William R. Haughton Memorial, State Treasurer overcame an outside post position and cruised to his fifth sub-1:50 victory of the season in Saturday's $34,000 Preferred Pace at Mohawk Racetrack.
Fresh off a 1:48.1 Canadian season's record win last weekend at Mohawk, State Treasurer dominated his Preferred foes once again with a 1:49.1 front-stepping score for trainer Dr. Ian Moore.
This year's Molson Pace champion worked his way to the lead from post seven over Mohawk Gold Cup upsetter Evenin Of Pleasure (Sylvain Filion) past the :26.2 opening quarter and never looked back. State Treasurer reached the half in :54.2 and three-quarters in 1:22.4 before sprinting home in :26.2 for the one and a half length victory. Evenin Of Pleasure stayed for second with Ellis Park (Steve Condren) rallying off cover to grab third-place honours. The field of seven was separated by just over three lengths at the finish.
Owned by Sally Macdonald of Souris, P.E.I. and Paul MacDonald of Regina, Sask., State Treasurer is now six-for-eight on the year with $176,500 added to his bankroll.
No eliminations were necessary for the Haughton and State Treasurer will face the sport's top pacers on Meadowlands Pace Night next Saturday, July 12 at Meadowlands Racetrack. The post draw was conducted this evening and the five-year-old son of Real Desire will start from post four in the $463,000 final.
Christoforou swept the late Daily Double with the fastest two pacers on the Saturday night card at Mohawk as he also guided four-year-old Fool Me Once to a 1:48.2 triumph in a $16,000 conditioned event for trainer Mark Austin.
Four-year-old Mach Three miss D Gs Pesquero and driver Rick Zeron pulled off a 29-1 upset earlier on the card in the $30,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred, paying $61.40 to win. The Richard Moreau trainee rallied off cover to prevail in 1:52.3 by three-quarters of a length over millionairess Voelz Hanover (Randy Waples) with American In Paris (Christoforou) third. The winner's favoured stablemate, Ferrari Sena (Filion), faded to fifth after being hung out wide through a :26 opening quarter and leading through middle splits of :55.1 and 1:23.1.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.