Filion fires for five

Four-time harness racing Driver of the Year Sylvain Filion exhibited vintage form on Monday night (Feb. 13) at Woodbine Mohawk Park as he won five of the track’s 11 races.

After a place finish in the opener, Filion guided Night Club Hanover (Rock N Roll Heaven) to a 19th lifetime win in 1:52.2. He had the eight-year-old gelding on top in a :27 first quarter before Julerica (Jonathan Drury) took over. Night Club Hanover then vaulted to victory in the stretch.

NIGHT CLUB HANOVER REPLAY

Shestheluckyone (Father Patrick) then scored her first victory in Canada with Filion aboard in race four. The four-year-old mare, trained by Jean Tourigny for owner/breeder A 1 Racing, drew off down the lane and stopped the clock in 1:55.3. She raced her 2022 season in Pennsylvania before moving to Mohawk in January.

SHESTHELUCKYONE REPLAY

Filion got Coin Flip (Royal Mattjesty) to the winner’s circle two races later, sending the mare second-over late in the third quarter and urging her home to a one-length victory in 1:52.4. It was the fifth win of the season in six tries for Coin Flip, a six-year-old Robert Don Fellows-trained gelding.

COIN FLIP REPLAY

Filion made it a grand slam when he piloted Tokyo Seelster (Kadabra) to a late-closing victory in which the stallion soared late to prevail in a blanket finish in 1:55.3 at 14-1. The five-year-old Richard Moreau pupil was previously winless in five tries this season.

TOYKO SEELSTER REPLAY

The quintuple finished with Filion making a second-quarter brush with Jim Strikesitrich (Sunshine Beach) and rating him to a two-and-a-half-length score in 1:53.4. Fellows also conditions that five-year-old gelding, who increased his bankroll to greater than six digits as he won his 15th race in 60 lifetime starts.

JIM STRIKESITRICH REPLAY

Filion is 20-for-162 this season and is closing in on 10,000 career wins. A repeat of last season’s tally would get him to the rare milestone. He is currently 156 away.

Racing will return to Woodbine Mohawk Park on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7:00 p.m. EST.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink