Photo finish camera needed in Mohawk feature

Harness racing fans had to wait until the photo finish camera shot was approved by the judges before 8-1 Wheels On Fire (Somebeachsomewhere) could be declared the winner of the $34,000 Preferred Pace Saturday (Nov. 5) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Carbine and the post time favourite, Warrawee Vital got tangled up in an early duel which caused the favourite to be hung out wide for most of the race. The two set the early pace with :27.1 and :54.4 fractions. Wheels On Fire and driver Doug McNair waited patiently in the pocket until it was time to make a move deep in the stretch to just edge out Carbine for the win. The race ended up going in the time of 1:49.1.

Also closing in as the wire approached was Codename Cigar Box but he would have to settle for third.

This year’s Gold Cup and Saucer winner, Sintra, had a late rally of his own but ran out of track and had to settle for fourth. Warrawee Vital ultimately ended up placing fifth in the affair.

Century Heineken was deemed by the judges to not have had a fair start because he did not pass the fair start pole by the time the race officially started.

Wheels On Fire is inching close to the $1 million mark in career earnings with tonight’s victory putting him at $941,338. He is trained by Richard Moreau for owner Brad Grant and paid $18.50 to win.

WHEELS ON FIRE REPLAY

Earlier in the card Gias Surreal (So Surreal) won the Fillies and Mares Preferred in her first start since her bid in the Breeders’ Crown. The six-year-old mare now makes it five wins on the year and earned Donald Linsey his 41st win as a trainer in 2022.

The mare was able to get the early lead and set the pace with an opening quarter of :27.3. She was briefly passed after the quarter pole by Shes Got It All who was caught out with nowhere to go. Bob McClure made the move with Gias Surreal to regain the lead by the half-mile station and was able to hold on with a wall of enemies breathing down their necks. Gias Surreal’s closing quarter in :27.0 was enough to beat out Delitefulcatherin N and Dabarndawgswatching who were closing in fast but ran out of real estate.

Gias Surreal paced the mile in 1:51.1 which is now her fastest time of the year.

Delitefulcatherin N had to settle for second place while Dabarndawgswatching takes home the bronze.

GIAS SURREAL REPLAY

James MacDonald was able to earn himself three wins on the remaining part of the card.

His first win of the evening came in the fourth race with No Free Lunch (Sunshine Beach). The four-year-old pacing gelding had a speedy closing quarter of :25.4 and won in the time of 1:51.0.

MacDonald’s next win came in the Harvest Series for Ontario Sired Three-year-old Colts & Geldings event. It was Macdonald’s first time aboard Stone Carver (Bettors Delight) and he was able to steer the young pacer to a new lifetime mark of 1:51.1

MacDonald clinched the hat trick with Islandspecialmajor (Art Major) in the tenth race finale. The duo took the lead just before the half-mile pole and were able to hold on with a wall of horses in their rearview mirror. The nine-year-old gelding paced his 150th-lifetime start in 1:52.1.

MacDonald is having an unbelievable year in the sulky with over $8.8 million in purse earnings and 387 wins.

Woodbine Mohawk Park will be back in action on Monday evening with a 7:00 PM Eastern post time.

For complete race results, click here.

by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink