Driver Phil Hudon inched closer to a career milestone with a Saturday night victory aboard Duc Dorleans in a $30,000 upper-level conditioned event at Mohawk Racetrack.
The Guelph. Ontario reinsman is now just five wins shy of 4,000 in his career.
Hudon left with the Jacques Dupont trainee from post five and battled between Boomboom Ballykeel and Spinfiniti for the early lead through a :26-second opening quarter speed duel. Duc Dorleans cleared Boomboom Ballykeel past the pole and then gave way to Spinfiniti down the backstretch.
After the top three settled in line, Champagne Phil rushed up from fourth to confront Spinfiniti at the :54 half-mile marker and took over command while 4-5 favourite Lady Shadow was left first over. The only mare in the 10-horse field brushed to the top past three-quarters in 1:21.3 and led the field into the stretch.
However, Duc Dorleans found a seam between horses to come through towards the inside and he prevailed in 1:49.3. Ultimate Beachboy nearly circled the field, but ultimately came up a neck short at the wire for the win. Lady Shadow finished a quarter-length behind in third.
Duc Dorleans was the 5-2 second choice on the toteboard and paid $7.60 to win. The five-year-old Shanghai Phil gelding is owned and bred by Gestion C. Levesque 2005 Inc. and Les Ecuries Dorleans Inc. The win was his first in Canada this year and ninth in 24 seasonal starts.
Hudon will look to add to his win total on Sunday as he does double duty, driving at Clinton Raceway during the afternoon and then Georgian Downs in the evening.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.