Absolution pulled off a 10-1 upset in the $30,000 Open 2 for distaff pacers featured on Friday, Sept. 26 at Woodbine Mohawk Park while consolations for the Grassroots Series of the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) continued with the sophomores in action.
In the $30,000 Fillies & Mares Open 2 Pace, Absolution and driver Todd Ratchford tracked in third at the pylons through Glenboro's fractions of :26.4, :55.4 and 1:24.1 before slipping out in the stretch when the first-over challenger, Ms Quick Sand (Louis-Philippe Roy), started to sink. Absolution got the jump on even-money closer Caviar N Crackers (Ed Hensley) to prevail over the favourite by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.2. Angostura Hanover (Trevor Henry) finished third from the pocket while Glenboro (Travis Cullen) faded on the front.
Trained by Jack Moiseyev, the McWicked-Bet Ya mare, who was this year's Blizzard Pacing Series runner-up, earned her first Open-level victory. Joanne Colville and Nancy MacNevin's four-year-old homebred is now nine-for 33 in her career with earnings climbing to $134,960.
Coming off a second-place finish in her last start in the Mares Preferred on Sept. 13, Absolution was overlooked at 10-1 odds and returned $23.50 to win.
In OSS action, driver Doug McNair won three of the four $25,000 Grassroots consolations, first scoring with his father's trainee Tall Dark Lady ($2.80). Leading gate-to-wire and sealing the deal with a :26.4 kicker, the full sister to millionaire stallion Tall Dark Stranger lowered her lifetime mark to 1:52.2. Gregg McNair trains the homebred filly by Bettors Delight out of multiple Grand Circuit stakes winner Precocious Beauty for owner James Arvitt Sr. Winless as a freshman while mostly facing stakes competition, Tall Dark Lady now has four victories and $78,581 in earnings from 23 career starts. Brittas Best Bet (Austin Sorrie) followed 1-3/4 lengths behind the 2-5 favourite in second and Highland Delight (Travis Henry) advanced first-over to show.
McNair swept the pacing divisions as he sent the Kyle Fellows-trained gelding Wicked Express ($6.40) down the road to win in a career-best 1:51.2 mile for owner Hutt Racing Stable. Crossing to command in a sub-:26 opener, the son of McWicked-Shes A Pansation still had lots left as he drew off by more than four lengths at the end, with favoured Tip Of Time (Tyler Borth) overtaking pocket-pursuer Scratchin An Itch (Trevor Henry) in the race for place.
Sunday Shoes ($6) gave McNair the consolation triple and completed a four-win night for the reinsman when the trotting gelding scored in a career-best clocking of 1:54.3. Trained by Carmen Auciello and owned by Daniel Sarafian, the Wheeling N Dealin-Pointe Shoes sophomore was fourth for most of the mile and capitalized off a miscue by popular pacesetter Solo C P (Bob McClure) in the stretch, sweeping by late to win by three lengths. Wearing The Green (Trevor Henry) finished second and The Bear A Cuda (Austin Sorrie) was third.
Tyler Borth drove the last consolation winner as the Ben Baillargeon-trained trotting filly Resolved ($35) out-sprinted favourite P L Stevie (Chris Christoforou) off her cover to prevail in a blanket finish by three-quarters of a length, upsetting at 16-1. Hadley (J.R. Plante) closed from the back to nab third. Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin's homebred filly by Resolve out of Miss Adam T won in 1:56.1 to break her maiden in her 21st career start.
The Friday card also included the second leg of a Pop-Up Series for male pacers that started for a purse of $12,000 or less in their last three starts with non-winners of $25,000 in a minimum of 10 starts in 2025 also eligible. American History ($3.10) won his $16,000 division in 1:50.2 for the driving and training duo of Dale and MacKenzie Spence while the other split went to Shanes Dream in a career-best 1:51.1 with Billy Davis Jr. catch-driving for trainer Ed Peconi.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)