The boys were in the spotlight Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park as a pair of Harvest Series Finals went postward for three-year-olds and Easy Lover Hanover secured a major, money milestone in the Preferred Handicap.
It was a 10-1 upset in the $47,800 Harvest Series Final for Lifetime Royalty, who went pillar to post for driver Jody Jamieson.
The son of Royalty For Life-Cha Cha Glide sliced out fractions of :27.4, :57.4 and 1:26.3 before using a :28.1 closing quarter to win by a neck over heavily-favoured Okeanos. A hard-closing Arcanum swept from ninth to finish third in the rich tilt.
Trainer Scott McEneny shares ownership on the gelding with Brad Grant and Martwest Racing Stable. The victory was the second of the season for the three-time winner. The lion’s share of the loot lifted his career bankroll to $99,231.
The $49,600 Harvest Series Final went to heavily-favoured Angers Bayama for the tandem of driver Sylvain Filion and trainer Tony O’Sullivan in a sharp clocking of 1:50.4.
In search of a sixth straight victory, Filion hustled the homebred son of Big Jim-Lucky Josie into an early pocket spot behind Prestige Seelster. That foe carved out the first panel in :26.4 before Filion right-lined the 1-2 favourite. Angers Bayama cleared to the top without a tussle and cruised through soft, middle splits of :56.2 and 1:24.3. Angers Bayama roared home in :26.1 to win by 4-1/2 lengths over The First Step, with third prize going to Prestige Seelster.
Bayama Farms Inc of Saint-andre-d’argenteuil, QC bred and owns the photogenic pacer who improved his 2019 record to 6-2-1 from 11 starts with the win. The victory helped the gelding bump his overall cash stash to $78,655.
A group of eight faced the starting gate in the $34,000 Preferred Handicap for pacers, and it was memorable score for Easy Lover Hanover who surpassed $1 million in earnings with his 1:51.4 score for the tandem of driver Bob McClure and trainer Ben Wallace.
The six-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere-Easy Go Go got away sixth in the early going while Physicallyinclined knifed out fractions of :26.2, :55.3 and 1:24. Classic Pro went first-over and pressed the leader to the three-quarter pole before gaining the lead as the field entered the lane.
Easy Lover Hanover, who latched on to that foe’s cover in the backstretch, got the golden tow into the stretch and he didn’t let the great trip go to waste. McClure flipped off of cover and Easy Lover Hanover powered home in :27.2 to win by three-quarters of a length over Pointomygranson in 1:51.4. Physicallyinclined was third.
Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. owns the 42-time winner who now boasts a flashy record of 8-4-2 from 22 trips to the track this season. He’s banked over $190,000 this season and $1,002,943 to date.
Woodbine Mohawk Park’s Director of Racing, Bill McLinchey, congratulates Easy Lover Hanover and his team on the money milestone – New Image Media/Mario Glynn Photo
To view results for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.
When the temperature is below
When the temperature is below zero, Easy Lover Hanover is the fastest horse on the planet!!