Frankies Dragon, driven by Sylvain Filion, took no prisoners in the $43,500 Beat The Heat Pacing Series Final on Saturday at Mohawk Racetrack as the swift pacer got under the wire first in a stakes record time of 1:48.4.
In a field of 12, Frankies Dragon was parked to the outside past the opening station in a sizzling :25.4, put up by College Major (Randy Waples).
Heading down the backstretch, College Major gave way to The Ladies Man (Mike Saftic), before Frankies Dragon cleared to the front at the half in :53.3.
Filion continued the honest fractions past three-quarters in 1:20.2 before asking his charge for more pace, and the 15-time winner responded with an open length winning effort. The Ladies Man held on for second over 119-1 longshot Beach Buff (Anthony MacDonald).
“We liked him all along even at two and three, but he was sick a lot,” said co-owner Pierre Charette following the win. “It might be odd to say, but he doesn’t like the hot weather and maybe tonight was an exception because he was amazing.”
Trained and co-owned by Luc Blais, Frankies Dragon has crafted a record of 3-1-1 record from nine starts this season to push his lifetime earnings over $145,317. Frankies Dragon paid $3 to win as the favourite.
The previous series record of 1:50 was held by Junior K, who was a winner on the Saturday card and part of a driving double for Roger Mayotte. Mayotte also drove his four-year-old trainee Midfield Magic to a new lifetime mark of 1:53.2 in a conditioned trot featuring the season-debuting Wheeling N Dealin, who tasted defeat for the first time in his career. Sophomore Murmur Hanover (Randy Waples) and mare Dancehall Mistress (Doug McNair) were second and third while the favoured O'Brien Award winner finished fourth for Filion.
This week's $30,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace was won by the Randy Waples-driven Shelliscape, who nosed out favourite Drop The Ball (Doug McNair) in 1:50.2. The four-year-old Artiscape mare earned her first win of the season for trainer Bob McIntosh, who shares ownership (as Robert McIntosh Stables Inc.) with the C S X Stables and Dm Stables LLC.
Filion ended the 13-race card with three wins, as did birthday boy Billy Davis Jr.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.
(With files from WEG)