Preferred trotters caught a break this week thanks to Perfetto’s absence from the top class at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and the one that benefitted the most was winner Oney Hall.
With Trevor Henry at the lines, Oney Hall marched the front and didn’t look back en route to a handy score in Monday’s main event at the Campbellville oval.
Oney Hall, who was sent off as the 6-5 favourite, rolled to the lead from Post 3 and dictated the terms of the tempo through fractions of :29, :57.4 and 1:26. A closing quarter clocked in :28.2 earned him the win by 3-1/2 lengths over Pikachu Hanover. Third prize was earned by Dream Nation.
Bob McIntosh trains the five-year-old son of Deweycheatumnhowe-On With The Show for owner Alan Leavitt of Lexington, KY. The victory improved the gelding’s seasonal record to 7-5-5 from 28 starts and it pushed his lifetime win total to 20. The lion’s share of the loot lifted his earnings over $300,000.
Always Been Crazy captured the first division of the $14,000 Pop Up Series for conditioned claimers. J Harris mapped out the winning trip for the Bruce Goit trainee.
The colt sat second through an opening quarter of :28.2, but he took charge in the backstretch and carved out middle splits of :57.3 and 1:26.3. A :29.4 closing frame earned the three-year-old son of Sunshine Beach-Notable Beauty the win by a half-length margin over William Ross in 1:56.2. Finkle Is Einhorn was third.
Sent off as the 6-5 favourite, Always Been Crazy now boasts a 7-5-4 record from 25 starts this season. The career winner in excess of $30,000 is owned by Ronald Nobes of Fergus, ON.
Saratoga Blue Chip snapped a long winless skid with a 1:55 triumph in the second division.
Jonathan Drury worked out a two-hole trip behind Believe In Brian with the Carmen Auciello trainee. After drafting behind the leader through fractions of :28.4 and :57.1, Saratoga Blue Chip popped off the rail and took on Believe In Brian at the three-quarter pole in 1:25.4. A closing quarter of :29 earned Saratoga Blue Chip the win by two lengths over Believe In Brian. Third went to Blue Monk.
Dan Sarafian of Unionville, ON owns the gelding who won for the third time in his career. He pushed his lifetime earnings over $50,000 with the win.
Kinkaid Seelster survived a parked out journey to take home top prize in the third division for driver James MacDonald.
The three-year-old son of Big Jim-Keystone Tiffany spent more than the final half of the contest on the rim, and despite the long journey he was able to out-stagger backfield challengers to the finish line. He used a closing quarter of :31 to win by three-quarters of a length over The Devil You Know. Just Plain Needy was third.
Jared Bothwell of Guelph, ON owns and trains the gelding who improved this year’s record to 3-1-3 from 20 starts with the win. He bumped his bankroll to $34,080 in the process.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.