Last second score for Wheels On Fire

A few meters of open racetrack were all a boxed-in Wheels On Fire needed to surge at the cones, take the $34,000 Preferred, and extend his harness racing win streak to four at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday.

Wheels On Fire went full throttle into the first turn to take the lead from post one for Doug McNair, but Century Farroh (Sylvain Filion) rolled to the front with a backstretch brush after completing the first quarter mile in :26. Wheels On Fire occupied the pocket through :55.2 and 1:23.4 middle panels but found himself trapped turning into the stretch, as a first-over Hail Christian N (Chris Christoforou) sustained his challenge.

McNair searched for room coming down the stretch, and he got it when Century Farroh drifted off the inside coming into the final 1/16th of the mile. Wheels On Fire gained ground rapidly with the newfound space and nailed Century Farroh at the finish to prevail in 1:51. Century Farroh lost by a nose; Hail Christian N couldn’t match the top two but held third. The winner paid $4.60.

WHEELS ON FIRE REPLAY

Wheels On Fire has won four straight Preferred events – two at Mohawk Park and two at The Meadowlands. His lifetime record is 29-for-78, and he’s earned just shy of $500,000 in his career. Richard Moreau trains the six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding for Brad Grant, a resident of Milton.

James MacDonald’s fire continued burning on Saturday as the reinsman collected his third grand slam in the seven race dates that have been held since the restart of racing. He kicked off the evening with a win aboard No Free Lunch (1:52.1) in the first, then won with Second Bruiser (1:50.4) in the third, Mary Kat (1:51.1) in the seventh, Highlandbeachlover (1:50) in the 10th, and Pointomygranson (1:51.4) in a dead heat in the finale.

McNair drove four winners on the evening: Grandma Heidi (1:54.4), Whitecookie (1:51.3), Mongolian Hero N (1:50.4), and Wheels On Fire.

Woodbine Mohawk Park will return on Monday, Jun. 21 with 10 dashes. Racing will begin at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink