Mario Baillargeon looked more like Mario Lemieux as he stick handled through heavy traffic in the stretch to win Tuesday’s $35,000 Preferred Trot at Mohawk Racetrack with Andover America
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Baillargeon was in no hurry with Andover America in the featured tilt. In fact, he got away last in the eight-horse affair which produced record-setting fractions. Frenchfrysnvinegar had Windsong Geant at the quarter pole in :26.1, thus matching the fastest first quarter for a trotter in the history of the Campbellville oval. Windsong Geant worked his way to the lead and carved out a blistering half-mile clocking of :54 seconds – the fastest in the history of Canadian racing.
Windsong Geant was still on the lead, though running out of gas, at the three-quarter pole in 1:23.3. Andover America, who was still eighth at the half, found an opening at the pylons and moved up to fifth at the three quarter pole. That bad news was, however, he was locked up tight turning for home. Baillargeon zigzagged through horses in the lane and eventually found the gelding a seam. A :27.4 final quarter propelled the six-year-old son of Andover Hall-Armbro Array to a 1-1/2 length decision over Canbec Fridolin. Ericskarri rounded out the top three finishers.
Ben Baillargeon conditions the photogenic square gaiter, who was sent off at odds of 12-1, for MC Trade Enterprises Inc of Davie, FL. The trotter, who went 18-for-33 last season, improved his 2011 record to 7-5-3 in 18 starts with the victory. The 36-time winner bumped his lifetime earnings to $368,921 in the process.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.