San Pail and driver Randy Waples found the finish line just in time to take home top prize in Monday evening's $38,000 Preferred Trot at Mohawk Racetrack.
The four-year-old son of San Pellegrino, who was sent off as the even-money choice in the six-horse affair, took an early tuck into third while Ericskarri sprinted to the quarter pole in :27.2.
Waples angled the Rodney Hughes trainee to the outside as soon as the field entered the backstretch, and he was allowed to brush to the top without a tussle. He laid down panels of :56.2 and 1:26 before being swarmed by a number of challengers in deep stretch.
King Covenant, who came first over, was knocking on the door in the late stages along with Mystical Ryan and Please Poppy. That rival, however, got bad gaited in the closing strides and rolled off stride.
San Pail prevailed by a head over Please Poppy, who was placed back to sixth as a result of a lapped-on break and for failure to continuously lose ground while on a break.
Mystical Ryan was third-placed-second and King Covenant was fourth-placed-third.
Hughes and co-owner Glenn Van Camp watched the gelding pick up his fourth win of the season and the eighth of his career. San Pail now boasts a bankroll that stands at $244,905 to date.
To view Monday's results, click here.