Taurasi shined on the Saturday, Dec. 23 evening card at Woodbine Mohawk Park and not only for winning the $36,000 Preferred Pace, but for securing the training triple on the card that gave Richard Moreau his 7,000th career training victory.
Doug McNair and the Moreau student made a diagonal beeline from post nine to the front. The pair maintained at least a two-length cushion as they controlled the tempo through panels in :27, :55.4 and 1:24. Facing no pressure, Taurasi breezed home to win by two lengths in 1:51. Saulsbrook Victor (Brett MacDonald) finished second and Covered Bridge (James MacDonald) took the show spot.
Brad Grant and Alagna Racing LLC co-own the four-year-old Racing Hill gelding, who has won back-to-back Preferreds at Mohawk and earned his fourth win of the season from 19 starts. Taurasi's 12th career victory pushed his career earnings to $401,321. He paid $4.90 to win.
Moreau needed three wins before Saturday evening's card to achieve 7,000 victories. He did one better with a four-win performance. His other tallies this evening were with Somewherentuscany ($4) and James MacDonald in 1:53.2, Thrilling Times ($5.40) and MacDonald in 1:55.1, and Stormalong ($9.90) and McNair in 1:52.1. At the beginning of the year, the Puslinch, Ont. resident added his 10th O'Brien Award trophy to his collection with the 2022 Trainer of the Year award. He moved his career bankroll to $75,888,761 and sits third in harness racing history behind trainer Ron Burke and Virgil Morgan Jr. with his win total.
Doug McNair one-upped Moreau with a five-win night of his own. Before the aforementioned pair of wins for Moreau, he scored twice with trainees of his father, Gregg — Allbetsonfritz (1:54.3; $4.60) in the opener and Century Heineken (1:52; $4.50) in the third — as well as with Kyle Fellows pupil Camara Moment (1:54.1; $4.50) in the fifth.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.