Upfront Hoosierboy overcame an outside post position to win the weekly $34,000 Preferred Pace at Mohawk Racetrack on Saturday night.
Driven by Randy Waples, the seven-year-old Western Hanover gelding fired off the gate from post seven to establish the early lead into a :26.3 first quarter. Upfront Hoosierboy then settled for a two-hole trip as Camaes Fellow (Brett Miller) worked his way to the top from third into the backstretch and posted middle splits of :54 and 1:21.
But Waples pulled Upfront Hoosierboy from the pocket as they entered the stretch and edged by the leader. Meanwhile, last week's Preferred winner Bestofbest Hanover (Sylvain Filion) launched off the cover of Fool Me Once (Scott Zeron) while Apprentice Hanover (Jody Jamieson) closed up the inside making it a tight finish.
Upfront Hoosierboy prevailed by half a length over favourite Bestofbest Hanover in 1:49.3 while Camaes Fellow finished three-quarters of length back in third. Apprentice Hanover and Fool Me Once were fourth and fifth.
Sent postward as the 6-1 fourth choice in the field, Upfront Hoosierboy returned $15 to his backers for the upset win.
Corey Johnson trains the winner for owner Richard Berthiaume of Pointe-Aux-Trembles, Que. Upfront Hoosierboy has put together a seasonal record reading 5-11-3 in 31 starts while adding $142,530 to his $642,514 bankroll. The win was his third sub-1:50 effort.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.