Harvest Series action kicked off on Monday (October 20) at Woodbine Mohawk Park, where Control Your Bet secured its third consecutive series as a 9-1 upset in one of the two harness racing divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies, with Kountry Clover providing the lone trotting match.
Control Your Bet (pictured above) took off from the rail with driver Louis-Philippe Roy as she competed against five other Ontario Sired mares that were not winners of $30,000 on September 30.
The second longest shot on the board, Control Your Bet, finished fourth, with Josies Joules (David Kelly) clinching the quarter in:28. The field was spread half way in :56.4 before tightening again on the far bend, with Control Your Bet past the cones in fifth place at three-quarters, while Josies led Joules to that station in 1:26. The rail opened wide for Control Your Bet in the course where she took full advantage with a :27 in the final quarter, running three lengths clear in 1:53.3. Playsomethingsweet (Jody Jamieson) came second, while Annies Diva (Trevor Henry) came third.
Making her first start in the Chantal Mitchell stable, the new bells were a career best for Control Your Bet, who have won three of six this year. The homebred daughter of Control the moment-PL Kahluaa is owned by Les Ecuries Morel Inc. from Mirabel, Que. Control Your Bet paid $21.60 to win.
The second division for running fillies proved more formal, with Aleksova and driver Tyler Borth scoring as the 4-5 favorite. Aleksova came away fourth while Malicia Speed ​​(Travis Cullen) sprinted into the lead in a quarter of :28.1. Aleksova moved into the lead on the backstretch, taking command after the half of :58.1 before taking the field to three-quarters in 1:26.3. Malicia Speed ​​​​targeted Aleksova in the lane but could not reach as the favorite reached the line first with a length clear in 1:54.1. Bayonetta (Louis-Philippe Roy) finished in third place.
Aleksova has now won two of four in her career after a career-best effort. Camilla Christoforou trains the homebred daughter of McWicked-B Fifteen for owner Charalambos Christoforou of Campbellville, Ont. Aleksova returned $3.60 to win during the betting windows.
In the only division for trotting mares, Kountry Clover made quick work of post nine in the field of 11 with a front-end score. Driver James MacDonald pushed Kountry Clover into the lead from the flanks and worked around Life Is Great (Jody Jamieson) into the quarter in:28.3. Once clear, Kountry Clover went into halftime unchallenged in:59.1 before riding three lengths clear at three-quarters in 1:29. After building an insurmountable lead down the stretch, MacDonald Kountry turned on Clover as she rode home a two-length winner in 1:57.3 over My Ghost and Love Wins (Jean Rene Plante).
Kountry Clover makes her debut in the Meg Crone stable and has won two out of ten at the age of two. The daughter of Muscle mass-Shes Kadabra Cool is owned by WJ Donovan of Delray Beach, FL. Kountry Clover gave back $3.90 to its donors at the windows.
The 12-race Monday program also included a pair of $40,000 Pop-Up Series Finals for Ontario Sired three-year-old trotters that were not $100,000 winners as of Oct. 1 in 2025.
In the filly final, Medley Seelster (Doug McNair, $2.10) crushed the front, 4-1/2 lengths in 1:54.3 as the heavy favorite. Trained by Blake MacIntosh, the daughter of Wheeling N Dealin swept both legs and the final for a three-race win streak.
Unlike the fillies, the male counterpart was won by 17-1 long shot Alimony Mike ($37.50, Tyler Jones) who crossed first en route to a score of 1:54.4. It was the second win in 16 starts this year for the Dustin Jones-trained Royalty for life ruin.
To view Monday’s running results, click on the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.
By Standard blood Canada
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