Ohioan gelding wins Canadian debut for fourth straight

Southwind Oncore (Muscle Hill) hit the ground trotting in Canada as the three-year-old shipped in from Ohio and won his first harness racing start at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Thursday (Oct. 27).

The gelding, given 3/5 respect by the local bettors, had to bear the breeze as he moved first-up for Bob McClure on the homeward turn. He climbed past rivals quickly and put away pacesetter No Turning Back (Tyler Jones) in deep stretch with little urging from McClure to score in 1:55.2. The latter held second over Muscle Up The Gold (Phil Hudon).

SOUTHWIND ONCORE REPLAY

Southwind Oncore has now won four in a row since rallying from 10th to second in his Aug. 16 career debut and has earned $30,000. Trainer Kelly Goodwin of Fowlerville co-owns the sophomore with Deborah Spike-Pierce of Lexington and Sarah Goodwin, another Fowlerville resident. The gelding moved to Canada after a seven-and-a-quarter-length win at Dayton Raceway on Oct. 12. He also visited the winner’s circles of Hoosier Park and Scioto Downs.

Also on the card, 2021 Mohawk Million entrant Star Power Hanover (Wheeling N Dealin) got back on track with a conditioned win in a new career-best of 1:54.3. The three-year-old Luc Blais trainee has had a roller coaster of a year, featuring two Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots victories, three breaks, and a fifth-place finish on Oct. 17 in the same class as today’s win. Determination owns the gelding, who won an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold event at two.

Woodbine Mohawk Park’s next card is the beginning of Breeders Crown action at the track. Four fields of the sport’s best two-year-olds will duel for a total of $3.2 million in purses on Friday, Oct. 28. Race one of 12 will go off at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink