Both horse and driver celebrated the biggest victory of their respective careers on Sunday evening at Rideau Carleton Raceway, as Whatta Hotty and reinsman Garrett Whelan prevailed in the $140,000 OSS Gold Series final for three-year-old trotting fillies.
Whelan, whose father, Jim, trains and co-owns the homebred daughter of Yankee Paco, circled from next-to-last to win with the even money favourite in a time of 1:56.4.
It was a personal best for Whatta Hotty, who hauled down pacesetter Pleasure Girls in the final strides. That rival dead-heated for the runner-up spot with Warrawee June.
The Devos family – Terry, Mary and Clarence – are also involved in the ownership of the filly, who rattled off her fourth consecutive victory after failing to find the winner's circle in her first nine starts of the season.
The $70,000 payday bumped this year's bankroll to $255,175, and her lifetime total soared to $327,058. Whatta Hotty finished the season as the top point and money-winning filly in her OSS division.
To view Sunday's results, click here.