MILTON, April 28, 2018 – It’s safe to say the temperature Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park did not reflect the action on the track. A strong 11-race card took place on a chilly late-April evening at the Campbellville oval. Easy Lover Hanover dazzled in sub-1:50 fashion a week ago and his hot start to 2018 continued Saturday with another Preferred score. The Ben Wallace trainee started first up from fifth at the half and got up beside leader Nirvana Seelster at three-quarters in 1:23.2. In the stretch, ‘Easy Lover’ and driver Doug McNair waved goodbye to their rivals and opened a lead of several lengths. Ellis Park uncorked a wicked :26 final-quarter from eighth and last to make it interesting at the line, but ‘Easy Lover’, under minimal urging, prevailed by a head in 1:50.4. Traceur Hanover finished third, while Nirvana Seelster had to settle for fourth. A five-year-old gelding, Easy Lover Hanover had been assigned post-eight in Saturday’s $34,000 Preferred Handicap. The Wallace trainee is now two for two this season and his 27th career victory pushes him over $600,000 in career earnings. The Brad Grant owned pacer is staked to several top events this season and appears poised for a massive campaign. Easy Lover Hanover paid $3 to win. Earlier on Saturday’s card, four-year-old pacer Humboldt scored a victory in a $20,000 event for owner Grant, trainer Wallace and driver McNair. The gelded son of American Ideal gained notoriety recently for an unfortunate reason after the tragic bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos Junior Hockey Team. Owner Grant saw an opportunity to use his four-year-old pacer to help raise funds after the crash and pledged Humboldt’s earnings from this month to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) Player Assistance Program. The Program will help provide mental health assistance for all players in the league. Humboldt has now earned $15,000 in two starts since Grant pledge earnings towards the SJHL Player Assistance Program. For more on Humboldt’s victory, click here. Horseplayers were also buzzing Saturday after a massive 60-1 upset in the anchor leg of the Pick-5. Kyle Fellows trained four-year-old pacer Freddy Bear pulled off the major upset, paying $122.20 to win. The fifth-race stunner led to a gargantuan Pick-5 payout of $9,142.25 for a $0.20 ticket. The Pick-5 pool total for Saturday was $81,527. The fifth-race surprise was part of a wild Early Pick-4 sequence, which saw winners of 12-1, 60-1, 8-1 and 8-1. The Early Pick-4 returned $2,851.27 for a $0.20 winning ticket. The Early Pick-4 pool attracted $67,393. Live racing resumes Monday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Post time is 7:30 p.m. Share This:Share
