Up Up And Out completed a sweep of the fourth Gold Series event of the season for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Friday night at Mohawk Racetrack using a late closing kick to get up in the final strides in the $130,000 final.
Driver Doug McNair got the post seven starter to the wire first in a new lifetime mark of 1:52.3, edging out pacesetter Windsong Jack and his reinsman Randy Waples. Windson Jack's stablemate Tarpon Hanover and Scott Zeron finished third while divisional point leader Mach Pride, driven by Anthony MacDonald, was fourth and Glammit, with Mike Saftic aboard, was fifth.
Reigning Gold champion Windsong Jack fired off the gate from post three and quickly established an early three length lead while the rest of the field lined up in program order. Windsong Jack carved out fractions of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:24.4 with the field eventually tightening up and favourite Tarpon Hanover making the first over sacrifice. As the colts entered the stretch, the pocket-sitting Mach Set Go and Sylvain Filion made a costly break in stride causing interference to others in the field. But Erv Miller trainee Up Up And Out managed to avoid the chaos as he rallied four-wide from fourth over and surged home in :26.2 to prevail by a neck.
Up Up And Out paid $10.50 to win as the 4-1 third choice.
"I just wanted to race him from off the pace again and it really couldn't have worked out any worse around the last turn," noted McNair after the race. "I had a couple in front of me that were holding up traffic a little bit and the two up front got away on us a bit at the top of the stretch. Mine kicked into gear and he must have fired home in :26 and a piece. He saved me. He got a little rough on me, but he was trying all he could to win. He wanted to win just as much as I did."
The Jeremes Jet-Mellow Out gelding is owned by Ervin Miller Stable Inc. of Debary, Florida and Roger Hammer of Bedford, Pennsylvania. He earned his fourth win in 11 starts and more than doubled his bankroll to $118,400.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.