49-1 upset in $37,200 Harvest Series Final

A break by heavy favourite Resilience paved the way for a 49-1 harness racing upset by Kiera Seelster (Sportswriter) in the $37,200 Ontario-sired Harvest Series Final for three-year-old pacing fillies on Friday (Nov. 22) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Jonathan Drury shook the reins and applied the whip to procure early speed from the filly after Resilience galloped alongside her, getting his charge to the front before the quarter in :26.4. She cruised to the half in :56.1 but was again asked to pick it up as the field hit three-quarters in 1:24.3.

Under heavy urging, she pulled clear of pocket-sitter Rocks Shadow (Travis Cullen) at the head of the stretch and maintained command to the line to complete the victory in 1:53.1.

Rocks Shadow made up ground late and finished second ahead of Definingthe Moment (James MacDonald).

KIERA SEELSTER REPLAY

Kiera Seelster earned a new lifetime mark with the win, her seventh in 21 starts. She raced just once at two but has been solid at three with $48,645 and a win in the Prospect Series. Garry Merner trains the sophomore for Larry Delellis of London.

Also on the card, Manitoban filly Grit N Grace (Im The Pied Piper) won her Ontario debut in a 7-1 upset. Bob McClure swung her three-wide from fourth on the final turn, and the three-year-old rolled to the front in the stretch to win by a length in 1:53.1.

GRIT AND GRACE REPLAY

Grit N Grace was a stakes winner in her native province, taking the Lady Crocus and finishing second in the Manitoba Great Western. She is another product of the Rey family of St. Claude, who sent O’Brien Award nominee Emmetts Buddy to Ontario in 2022. Lorraine Rey owns, bred, and trained the filly before sending her to Michael Kwietniowski last month. Grit N Grace’s record is now seven wins and $39,665 in earnings from 12 starts. Friday’s win lowered her lifetime mark by more than five seconds.

McClure had a driving triple on the card.

Woodbine Mohawk Park hosts its next card on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:10 p.m. EST.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink