Ellis Park prevailed in a wild finish while four-year-old trotting mare Charmed Life beat the boys in Saturday night's co-featured Preferred events at Mohawk Racetrack.
Using his customary late-closing speed, Ellis Park rallied widest of them all down the stretch to prevail in the $34,000 Preferred Pace with Hall of Famer Steve Condren working out the winning trip from post 10. The five-year-old pacer matched his career mark of 1:49 while earning his 13th career win in 31 starts.
Fool Me Once (Paul MacDonell) fired off the gate from post seven with Apprentice Hanover (Jody Jamieson), leaving just to his outside, charging after him and dropping into the pocket spot ahead of 6-5 favourite Captive Audience (James MacDonald).
Fool Me One sprinted the first quarter in :26.3 and continued on to the half in :54.1. At that point, Lucan Hanover (Chris Christoforou) was flushed first over from fourth with Dapper Dude (Randy Waples) picking up his cover. Bestofbest Hanover (Jonathan Drury) was spotted third over while Ellis Park also followed the outer flow back in seventh.
Lucan Hanover rolled right up alongside Fool Me Once and battle nose-to-nose past three-quarters in 1:21.4. As the duelling leaders turned for home, the field fanned across the track with Ellis Park kicking home in :26 seconds flat on the grandstand side to nab the victory.
He prevailed in a wild finish by three-quarters of a length over Bestofbest Hanover while Modern Legend (Jack Moiseyev) came through from last with a :25.3 closing kick to show. Fool Me Once edged Captive Audience for fourth. The entire 10-horse field was spread across just four and a half lengths at the wire.
Ellis Park paid $17 to win as the 7-1 fourth choice.
Brad Maxwell trains the homebred Rocknroll Hanover gelding for the David Goodrow Stable of Cambridge, Ont.
Ellis Park has now won two of his last three Preferred starts and finished second to last week's winner, State Treasurer, who was absent from Saturday's Preferred as he competed in the U.S. Pacing Championship, finishing second, at The Meadowlands this afternoon.
Backed by the betting public, 6-5 favourite Charmed Life delivered on her pari-mutuel promise in the matching Preferred Trot with driver Jody Jamieson aboard for trainer David Menary.
Daylon Magician (Jack Moiseyev) was an early breaker while final turn breaker Fearless Man (Rick Zeron) established the lead off the gate, posting a :28-second opening quarter before Flanagan Memory (Chris Christoforou) pulled the pocket and swept by down the backstretch.
The new leader trotted past the half in :57 and three-quarters in 1:25.3 while Windsong Geant (Steve Condren) began to advance from fifth with Charmed Life following his cover.
Flanagan Memory turned for home with Windsong Geant grinding away on the outside and eventually taking over down the stretch, but Charmed Life came through between the pair, sprinting her final quarter in :26.4 to prevail in 1:53 flat. Windsong Geant settled for second, one and three-quarters of a length behind, while Catch The Dream (Paul MacDonell) came on for third. Whiskey Tax (Randy Waples) and Flanagan Memory earned the final paycheques in fourth and fifth.
Charmed Life had finished just a neck behind 2013 Horse of the Year Bee A Magician in a 1:51.1 mile in the Miss Versatility Series at The Meadowlands on July 12 and tonight she earned her second straight win at Mohawk. She paid $4.70 to win and is now four-for-10 this year.
The daughter of Majestic Son is owned by Menary Racing Inc. of Rockton, Ont., Brad Gray of Dundas, Ont. and Michael Guerriero of Puslinch, Ont.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.