Fresh off her triumphant sweep in February, Del Diggity once again asserted her dominance in the Pop Up Series at Woodbine Mohawk Park, clinching victory in the first leg for pacers on Tuesday, June 4th.
With each division boasting a purse of $10,000, the Pop Up Series kicked off with its inaugural leg, followed by a second leg on Tuesday, June 11th, leading up to the highly anticipated $15,000 Final and $10,000 Consolation on Tuesday, June 18th. The series also features an $8,000 Claiming Pop Up Series for both horses and geldings, as well as fillies and mares.
Under the skilled guidance of driver Doug McNair, Del Diggity made her move from fourth position to seize control of the race after the :28 quarter. Setting the pace through splits of :58 and 1:26.1, Del Diggity surged ahead to secure a commanding 3-3/4 length victory in 1:53.4, leaving Acefortyfour Daisy and Italia Seelster trailing behind.
This victory marked the ninth win for the six-year-old So Surreal - Beach Sunset mare out of 16 starts this year and her impressive 23rd career victory out of 101 starts, bringing her total earnings to $150,075. Del Diggity returned $2.80 to win.
In a surprising upset, Brookdale Seb, with Scott Young in the driver's seat and trained by Michael Stamp, triumphed in the second division of the Pop Up Series, defying odds of 21-1. Despite starting from sixth position, Brookdale Seb rallied from behind to snatch victory in a thrilling finish, crossing the line in 1:53.4 by a mere head, ahead of Delightful Magic and Journalistic.
Meanwhile, Battle With Desire, steered by Trevor Henry and trained by Bernard Willis, secured a gate-to-wire victory in the third Pop Up Series division for fillies and mares, with a final time of 1:53.1.
Closing out the evening, Kinkaid Seelster, guided by Louis-Philippe Roy and trained by Brett Lester, clinched victory in the fourth and final Pop Up Series split for males, crossing the wire in 1:54.2 after a fierce battle with Papiamento.
These thrilling races showcased the talent and determination of the competitors in Mohawk's Pop Up Series, promising an exciting continuation of the series in the weeks to come.