Tough Winmebak hangs on to win $75,000 Grassroots championship

MILTON, September 30, 2023 – Off the strength of three preliminary-round scores and a decisive 1:51 semifinal win, 1-5 favourite Winmebak (Shadow Play-Winbak Speedi) and harness racing catch-driver Scott Young had all the answers to stave off a late challenge from Palladium Hanover in Saturday’s $75,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots final for three-year-old male pacers at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Young elected to avoid the cavalry charge to the first turn, easing Winmebak to sixth while Troubles A Brewin, Mufferaw Joe and Santana Hanover stampeded to a :12 first furlong.

Santana Hanover (driven by Sylvain Filion) won the :25.3 first-quarter battle, only to be shuffled to third up the backstretch as Palladium Hanover (Travis Cullen) launched a middle move out of fourth.

Palladium Hanover cleared for control before the :54 half-mile split but gave way to Winmebak – who was towed into striking range by Palladium Hanover’s middle move – shortly after the race’s midpoint.

“There was a guy on the outside of me in the first turn and I was like, ‘Might as well try and take matters into my own hands now,’” said Young, who had won the two-year-old filly trot final with Flirty Dancer earlier in the program.

Winmebak maintained a stout pace through the far turn, evading pressure from Artsalive – who was left uncovered – past three-quarters in 1:22 and trying to separate himself from the field turning for home.

The gelding got that separation from all but one rival: Palladium Hanover, who pulled the pocket with three-sixteenths to go and made for a thrilling stretch duel between the two semifinal winners.

Although he didn’t respond to Cullen’s imploring at first, Palladium Hanover posed an intensifying threat through the final eighth.

Winmebak remained resolute and held his ground to win by a diminishing head in 1:50.4. Palladium Hanover was a game second; Ahi Sunshine (Jonathan Drury) lifted off fourth-over cover to finish third, 2 ¼ lengths in arrears.

“When [Palladium Hanover] came, he kind of came out of authority and I said, ‘Well, leave it to me to get this one beat,'” said Young, concerned by his late challenger. “But he held on.

“He was parked a long way and I tried to give him a little bit of a breather, and he fought one off late and bailed me out.”

Nick Gallucci trains Winmebak, an 11-time winner from 19 starts with $170,738 in career earnings, for Millar Farms.

Winmebak paid $2.60 to win.

For complete race results, click here.

by James Witherite, for Ontario Racing