MILTON, March 26, 2021 – Winter Series action continued Friday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park with the series finales of the Snowshoe and Blizzard Pacing Series. Each final featured full fields of ten, with the boys competing for a purse of $40,600 in the Snowshoe and the ladies for $40,400 in the Blizzard. Bettors Donttell and driver Mike Saftic came through at odds of 7/2 to win the Snowshoe final in 1:55.2. The Jean Guy Belliveau trainee came into Friday’s final off a win and a close third in the preliminary legs. Saftic hustled the three-year-old gelding out to the early lead, posting a :27.2 opener. A second-quarter lead change saw leg two winner Major Makover rush to the top from fourth, leading by the half in :56.4. Major Makover faced pressure around the last turn, reaching three-quarters in 1:25.4. Bettors Donttell sat patiently behind Major Makover, angling out in the lane and shooting by to win by three-quarters of a length. The push to the line for Bettors Donttell saw several rivals finish up strong, with the top six finishers separated by just two-lengths. Dragon Roars Again rallied from eighth to finish second, while Hes Swift came from sixth to finish third. A gelded son of Bettors Delight, Bettors Donttell is now three for six this season and four for 12 lifetime. The Troy Mark homebred increases his career-earnings to $59,840 with the Snowshoe Series final victory. A $2 win ticket on Bettors Donttell returned $9.20. Somewhere North continued her winning ways, posting a coast-to-coast victory in the $40,400 Blizzard Pacing Series for three and four-year-old pacing fillies and mares. Bob McClure steered the Meg Crone trained Somewhere North to her fourth consecutive win, posting fractions of :28.1, :56.3 and 1:25.2 before a :28.4 kicker closed out a 3 ¼ length score. Patricia Mae finished second, while Filter Hanover was third. A hombred for Pinske Stables, Somewhere North is a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere. The four-year-old is now four for five this season and eight for 10 lifetime. The Blizzard Pacing Series final victory pushes her earnings to $74,600. A $2 win ticket on Somewhere North returned $2.80. The Snowshoe and Blizzard Series were open to three and four-year-old pacers, who were non-winners of two races or $30,000 lifetime as of October 31, 2020. Friday evening’s card also saw a $30,000 Mares Preferred Handicap pace contested. O’Brien Award winner So Much More collected her first win of the season, coming first-up on the final turn from fourth and powering to a 1:52.2 score for driver James MacDonald and trainer Don Beatson. A five-year-old daughter of Big Jim, So Much More started the year taking on male rivals for her first three starts and now has a record of a win and three runner-up finishes in five starts this season. Her latest victory increases her career numbers to 32 wins and $580,867 earned for owners Don & Kenneth Beatson and Cole England. Grand Circuit winner Major Occasion A rallied to finish a hard-closing second in her Mohawk Park debut. So Much More paid $3.30 to win. Live racing continues Saturday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park. A Jackpot Hi-5 mandatory payout headlines the 11-race card. The carryover is $262,454. Post time is 7 p.m. Share This:Share
