Powertrain left no room for doubt as he outpaced his competitors in the $32,000 Preferred 2 Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, February 17.
Under the skilled guidance of Louis-Philippe Roy, the six-year-old gelded son of Shadow Play surged to the front from post eight. Powertrain maintained a commanding lead, dictating the pace with early fractions of :27.1 and :55.2. The race saw little movement until the unexpected manoeuvre by Poseidon Seelster (Tyler Moore), a 54-1 long shot, exiting the five-hole just past the halfway mark.
Maintaining his lead through three-quarters in 1:23, Powertrain bravely fended off the persistent challenge from Poseidon Seelster, securing victory by a length in a time of 1:51.1, rewarding backers with a $5.90 win payout. Rockabilly Rebel N (Doug McNair) completed the top three positions.
Owned and bred by Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont., and trained by Nick Gallucci, Powertrain has now claimed two victories in his first four starts of 2024. With this latest triumph, the eleven-time winner has amassed a total of $354,625 in lifetime earnings.
Before Powertrain's commanding performance, Dontpokethedragon (Tyler Borth) continued his winning streak, triumphing in the eighth race with a time of 1:53.2. The seven-year-old bay pacing gelding by Custard The Dragon secured his eighth consecutive victory for trainer Kyle Fellows and owners Patrick Dillon, Patti Hoskin, and Steve McGill. With this win, Dontpokethedragon's career victories reached 41, surpassing the $400,000 mark with total earnings of $402,640.
Trainer Richard Moreau also made his mark on the evening's races, starting with a win in the opener with Style For A Mile (Doug McNair) and following it up with a remarkable four-race win streak. Cabot Beach (James MacDonald), Seriously Hanover (James MacDonald), and Mr Ibiza N (Doug McNair) sealed Moreau's dominance in Races 5, 6, and 7, respectively. The trainer, based in Puslinch, Ont., is now on the cusp of reaching the impressive 50-win milestone for the year 2024.