First 2023 win, first sub-1:50 mile

Dabarndawgswatchin (Hes Watching) got on the board for 2023 on Friday (May 5) at Woodbine Mohawk Park with a career-best harness racing performance in the Fillies and Mares Preferred-2.

The mare blasted from fifth to the front for Louis Philippe-Roy after Gias Surreal cut a :27 opening quarter, and the new leader completed the first half in :55.3. She kept the field in line with 1:22.3 pace to three-quarters and motored home to score in 1:49.3 with Gias Surreal only able to watch from the pocket. The latter held the margin to a length-and-a-half. Voelz Delight (James MacDonald) finished third.

DABARNDAWGSWATCHIN REPLAY

Dabarndawgswatchin was previously winless in five outings this season but hit the board four times. The Dave Menary-trained mare has won 16 of her 68 career starts and has earned $484,954. She has competed at the Mohawk Preferred level since the end of last year. Breeders Julie Ferguson of Greely and Lloyd Stone of Portland own the five-year-old.

Roy caught fire on the evening, winning four of the 12 carded contests. One of his victories came with the seasonal debut of Savethelastdance (Bettors Delight), who tied her lifetime mark of 1:51. The three-year-old filly, campaigned by the Millar Farms team, won a pair of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold events at two and is five-for-nine lifetime.

SAVETHELASTDANCE REPLAY

Woodbine Mohawk Park’s next program on Saturday, May 6 will include the finals of the new Ontario-sired Graduate Series. The three divisions – trotters, pacers, and pacing mares – of the series for Ontario-sired four-year-olds combine for a purse of $249,500. First post will be at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink