A pair of $30,000 divisions went to gate on Saturday night (March 11) at Woodbine Mohawk Park for the New Holland Pacing Series and resulted in Nautical Hanover and Camara Moment making stops in the winner’s circle.
Camara Moment capitalized off a pocket ride to take the later division of the New Holland Pacing Series in 1:49.4, matching the fastest mile on Canadian soil for an older pacing horse this season.
Southbeach Hanover, the 6-5 favourite, shot to the top and led unchallenged through fractions of :27 and :55.4. He then faced a challenge from pocket-popper Camara Moment coming to three-quarters in 1:23.3 and the Richard Moreau trainee put away Southbeach Hanover with ease turning into the lane. Camara Moment held control while chased home by The Longest Yard and fought that foe off to the beam to win by a head with Mad Man Hill checking in third and Southbeach Hanover settling for fourth.
Winning his sixth straight race and his 11th race from 21 starts, Camara Moment has now earned $145,760. He competes for owners Mickey Sudar, Brenton Harris, James Borke and Dewitt Stables, and had Doug McNair in the sulky. He paid $9.40 to win.
Nautical Hanover launched a furious stretch charge to snag the first division in 1:50.3 and gave driver James MacDonald his first of five victories on the card.
Woodmere Stealdeal darted to the lead before a :27.3 first quarter and soon yielded control to odds-on favourite Ario Hanover up the backside. Ario Hanover clicked a :55.4 half and then faced a far-turn blitz from a headstrong Highlandbeachlover, who matched strides with the leader to three-quarters in 1:23.1. Highlandbeachlover folded off the corner while Ario Hanover clung to command. All the while MacDonald uncorked Nautical Hanover from third over and blasted down the center of the track to collar the pacesetter by a half length at the beam with Woodmere Stealdeal settling for third and Dontpokethedragon taking fourth.
Benoit Baillargeon trains Nautical Hanover, a four-year-old Captaintreacherous stallion, for owner Richard Berthiaume. He won his sixth race from 34 starts and has now earned $262,827. He paid $17.80 to win.
Driver James MacDonald, after his win in the New Holland Pacing Series in Race 2, collected four more wins to finish the 12-race card with five wins. He scored a natural hat trick following the series win with Red Coin (1:55.2 winning mile; $2.50 to win) and The Will To Play (1:54; $3) and won later with Sometime Somewhere (1:50.3; $4.40) and Silk Road Smash (1:54; $9.80).
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.