O'Brien Award winner The Game Plan hadn't put in a charted line since the 2011 Ontario Sires Super Finals --- that was until the now-three-year-old son of Kadabra set foot onto Mohawk Racetrack Friday morning for a qualifying tilt.
Conditioned by John Kopas, The Game Plan towed pilot Jack Moiseyev up into Post 5 during Race 3. Having not lost his quick turn of foot off the wings, the bay gelding fired out from the word 'go' and led his rivals to the opening quarter, which he clicked off in :29.2.
On cruise control through middle splits of :59.2 and 1:29.3, The Game Plan would eventually tussle with the forwardly-placed stalker Magic Lindy (driven by James MacDonald). The Kadabra filly engaged The Game Plan in the final eighth, and eventually got up and passed The Game Plan in deep stretch.
Magic Lindy went on to post a one and a half-length victory in 1:58 courtesy of a :27.4 final quarter. Majestic Tablet (Sylvain Filion) got up for second, while The Game Plan, who closed with a :28.2 quarter mile, finished third, two and a half lengths in arrears to Magic Lindy.
The Game Plan, bred by Diane Ingham and Harry Rutherford, had a very impressive freshman campaign in 2011. Owned by Kopas along with the LLK Stable, Gary Grieve and Anthony Wagner, the $20,000 yearling, which was purchased at Standardbred Canada's 2010 Canadian Yearling Sale, raced to a record of 8-2-1 last season from 13 starts. The Game Plan won multiple OSS Gold finals and reigned supreme in the $469,000 William Wellwood Memorial.
To view the harness racing results from Friday's qualifying session at Mohawk, click the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack (Qualifiers).