Livinthebeachlife upsets Grand Circuit winner at Mohawk

Livinthebeachlife (Somebeachsomewhere) defeated the odds-on Taurasi, a Grand Circuit harness racing competitor, in a 12-1 upset in the $36,000 Preferred at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (Dec. 9).

Livinthebeachlife, who missed by a head in last week’s edition of the class, headed for the front again and took command in a :26.1 first panel. The gelding, driven by Louis-Philippe Roy, had no company through :54.2 and 1:22.1 middle fractions with Taurasi (Doug McNair) only activating on the final turn.

The backfield got into gear as they came down the stretch, and Taurasi and Cold Creek Queso (Jody Jamieson) made inroads on the tiring leader in the last eighth of a mile. But Livinthebeachlife showed his guts and reached the wire ahead of the closing group to score in 1:50.

Cold Creek Queso finished quickest and was a half-length back at the line. Taurasi was right there with him and finished third.

LIVINTHEBEACHLIFE REPLAY

Livinthebeachlife now has 10 wins on the season in 41 starts. He moved to Mohawk from the northeastern United States in June for new owners Gordon McDonald of Ottawa, Christopher Boland of St. Johns, and Limco Inc. of Chateauguay. Victor Puddy trains the five-year-old, a 19-time winner in 80 starts with $282,265 in the bank.

The card also featured the first round of the Valedictory Series for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Saulsbrook Ian (Betterthancheddar, James MacDonald) snagged the first division in a career-best 1:52.1, making it back-to-back wins since returning from the East Coast. Wry (Artspeak, McNair) held on by a nose over Speaker Of Peace (Bob McClure) in the second split for his second career victory in 1:53.1. The second leg of the series is set for Dec. 16, followed by the $30,000A final on Dec. 26.

MacDonald reached $10 million in earnings for the season on the card. To read about the achievement, click here.

Woodbine Mohawk Park returns to action on Monday, Dec. 11 at 7:10 p.m. EST.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink