Stormont Shanlyboy and driver Tyler Jones kicked off the Monday (Aug. 31) card at Woodbine Mohawk Park with a bang, taking the $24,000 conditioned trotting feature on the card as a 12-1 upset winner.
A full field of 10 trotters who were non-winners of three or $50,000 lifetime went postward, with Stormont Shanlyboy leaving from post seven alongside the 3-5 favourite, Massbar (Doug McNair).
Stormont Shanlyboy was quick off the wings, crossing over in front of the field before releasing 42-1 longshot Push To Start (Scott Young) to the lead through a :27 opening quarter. The tempo slowed on the backstretch, with Stormont Shanlyboy moving back to the lead on the backstretch, only to immediately be covered up once more by Massbar who brushed from third to take the trotters to the half in :57. That duo remained one-two on the final turn, with Southern Cowboy (James MacDonald) racing first-over in third at three-quarters in 1:25.3.
Stormont Shanlyboy shifted off the cones once more turning for home, moving alongside the heavy favourite mid-way through the lane. The two slugged it out before Massbar went off-stride in deep stretch, allowing Stormont Shanlyboy to cruise to the wire 1-1/2 lengths clear in 1:53.4. Wolverine Legend (Daryl Thiessen) picked his way through rivals to rally for second, with Southern Cowboy holding for third.
It was the third victory in 12 tries this season for the Kevin Benn trained Stormont Shanlyboy. The three-year-old Muscle Mass-Lady Grenville gelding is owned by Stormont Meadows of Long Sault, Ont., and sports a career bankroll of $74,030 following the career best effort. Stormont Shanlyboy returned $27.40 to win.
Tyler Jones would bookend the Monday program with longshot winners, taking the $30,000 Pop-Up Series Final for trotters that had started for a purse of less than $11,000 in their last three starts prior to the series. Tyler Jones gave the Dustin Jones trained You Guessed It a second-over trip en route to a 19-1 upset score in a career best 1:54.2 to win by 2-3/4 lengths. You Guessed It paid $40.20 to win in the nightcap.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada; Photo of Stormont Shanlyboy)