Drivers James MacDonald and Bob McClure snagged two divisions each of the four $17,000 second-preliminary dashes for the Harvest Series for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Thursday night (Oct. 20) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
MacDonald swept the early double starting with a 1:58.2 victory by He Will in the first division of the Harvest Series trot. The Bill Megens-trained homebred gelding by Muscle Mass swept to the lead after a :29.1 first quarter and held sway through a :59.4 half and 1:28.3 three-quarters. As Lookslikeagoodfella spun his wheels uncovered on the rim around the final turn, He Will then spurted clear to a five-length victory as the 1-5 favourite. Lookslikeagoodfella held second from Snapchat Sam in third. The win counts as the sixth in He Will’s 11 starts and pushed his bankroll to $39,350. He paid $2.30 to win.
MacDonald delivered with another favourite in the first Harvest Series pace division with Winmebak (pictured above). The Shadow Play gelding grabbed the lead to a :28 first quarter and cruised to a :56.4 half and 1:25.2 three-quarters to seal the deal by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:53.2 over Scribblers with Teen Tattler another seven lengths behind in third. Nick Gallucci trains the Millar Farms-owned gelding who has three wins from six starts and $40,168 earned. He paid $2.50 to win.
Bob McClure’s first Harvest Series win on the night came in the second division of the trot behind 2-5 favourite The Hazelton. The Muscle Mass colt applied the same off-the-speed tactics that helped him win the first preliminary as he sat off a :27.2 and :56.3 clip set by Kinnder Thinktwice before catching cover to the turn. Poised on Stonebridge Bomber’s cover to three-quarters in 1:26.3, The Hazelton darted off the helmet to a 1-3/4-length score in 1:56.3. Stonebridge Bomber settled for second and Impressive Dude closed for third. Mark Etsell trains and co-owns the three-time winner and earner of $25,000 with Terry DeVos, Graham Hopkins and Peter Porter. He paid $2.80 to win.
Similar off-the-speed tactics worked for McClure and Sauble Ace as they took the last Harvest Series pacing division. Off the 2-1 favourite, the Betterthancheddar colt raced fifth while Sualsbrook Ian cut fractions of :28.1 and :57.4 before facing a first-over bid from Slick N Quick to three-quarters in 1:26. McClure placed Sauble Ace on that cover to race second over before slinging high for the drive and darting by the two one-paced rivals. Sauble Ace strode home to a 1:54.3 score by 1-3/4 lengths over closing Bar Down Jim with Bettor B Sirius sneaking out of the pocket to take third. Otis Hall trains the homebred for Sauble Hill Farms and Nasussito Racing Inc. who has won twice from three starts and bagged $18,540. He paid $6.10 to win.
To view Thursday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.