Ritson back on track

Breeders Crown finalist Ritson (Cantab Hall) won his second straight race by a wide margin at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Tuesday (Aug. 30) after 12 winless starts to begin his four-year-old harness racing campaign.

The stallion drifted in to be two-wide entering the first turn and marched on to the front, which he reached after hitting the quarter in :27.4. He met no opposition to the half in :56.1 but saw perennial conditioned contender Arrakis (James MacDonald) in the rear-view mirror as the field swung for home.

Ritson, after taking a breather to three-quarters in 1:26.1, sprinted away off the turn and widened the margin to five-and-a-half lengths by the time he reached the finish in 1:55.

Cupid Hanover (Jonathan Drury) displaced Arrakis late for second. The win price was $3.30.

RITSON REPLAY

Ritson has now won two raced in a row by more than five lengths. His Tuesday victory was a step up from his previous, which was at Mohawk Park’s bottom condition. He made the Breeders Crown final in his three-year-old season which included five wins, a place finish in the Goodtimes final, a show in the Simcoe, and a spot in the Breeders Crown final with total earnings of $161,344.

Shawn Steacy trains the stallion for Mark Steacy of Lansdowne, Hudson Standardbred Stable of Hudson, Dale Larson of Kent City, and Stephen Downey of Quispamsis.

The next card at Woodbine Mohawk Park is slated for a 7:00 p.m. EDT start on Thursday, Sep. 1.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink