On Saturday (Nov. 19), Woodbine Mohawk Park hosted the finals of the Harvest Series for three-year-old colts and geldings.
The winners of the series finals were certainly coming into their respective races with different momentum; one horse had yet to win this year in 11 starts, while the other was riding a three-race win streak.
On the trotting side, the complexion of the $46,300 Harvest Final changed dramatically just before the start when favoured Angels Express made a miscue and took himself out of contention. Royaltys Rocket (Dave Boughton) left from post seven and chopped out fractions of :28.3, :57.4 and 1:26.3 to forge a three-length advantage at the head of the lane.
Turning for home, pocket sitter Stable Genius (Bob MuClure) went offstride and squandered that tow into the stretch. But that break gave a lane to HP Maestro, who was sitting third for the mile. Driver Sylvain Filion took aim at the temposetter and, with the leader getting legweary, HP Maestro lunged ahead in the final strides for the 1:57.2 decision. Longshot Come Home For Life (Austin Sorrie) completed the triactor.
Claude Hamel of Ayer's Cliff, Que. bred and owns Hp Maestro (Il Sogno Dream - SOS Revange), with the trotter picking up his first win of the year — third lifetime — while earning a new speed badge in the process. The win lifted his career earnings to $95,655. The third choice paid $13.80 to win.
Making the trophy presentation was an individual who knows a thing or two about speed, decorated Canadian Olympic athlete Donovan Bailey (pictured above with Sylvain Filion) who was enjoying a night at the races with friends.
Stone Carver came into the Harvest Series final for male sophomore pacers on a three-race win streak, and he extended it to four straight in the $51,100 finale.
James MacDonald settled the 2-5 choice into fifth and allowed Jack Panic (Louis-Philippe Roy) to front the field through fractions of :27.1 and :56.1. Stone Carver started the first-over flow just before the half. Continuing to grind away around the far turn as the third quarter was reached in 1:25, Stone Carver was on even footing with Jack Panic at the top the stretch and eventually wore down the pacesetter to win by a length and a quarter in 1:53.3. Jack Panic stayed for second, but was placed third for a lapped-on pylon violation to promote Sip Of Bourbon (McClure) from third to second.
A homebred owned by Robert Bridges of Campbellvile, Ont., Stone Carver (Bettors Delight - Marquise De Sarah) lifted his bankroll into six figures with the win, his sixth lifetime. The winner's share of the purse placed his earnings at $117,232 with more than $80,000 of that coming this year. He paid $2.80 to win.
The Harvest Series featured Ontario-Sired three-year-old colts and geldings that were non-winners of $30,000 in 2022 as of Sept. 30, 2022.
To view the full results from Saturday at Mohawk, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.