Renowned trainer Richard Moreau showcased his prowess on Thursday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park by clinching a remarkable hat trick of wins.
The final jewel in Moreau's crown came as Del Diggity triumphed in the $18,000 Pop Up Series Final.
In a thrilling finale, James MacDonald expertly guided Del Diggity from post nine in a field of ten contenders. With MacDonald at the helm, Del Diggity surged ahead, swiftly carving a path across the track. The mare settled into third place early on, clocking a time of :27.2 in the opening panel. Holding her position along the pylons, Del Diggity maintained her stance through the halfway mark in :55.4 before launching a decisive move.
Displaying grit and determination, Del Diggity surged three wide past the three-quarter mark in 1:25.1. A blistering :28.2 final quarter propelled Del Diggity to victory by a length in an impressive time of 1:54.2. Greystone Treasure, steered by Travis Cullen, clinched second place, while Silly But Serious, under Tyler Borth's guidance, secured third.
Del Diggity, a six-year-old progeny of So Surreal and Badlands Hanover mare Beach Sunset, notched up her fourth consecutive win and fourth victory in six starts this season. With a total of 91 career starts, Del Diggity has graced the winner's circle 18 times, amassing an impressive bankroll of $125,810. The triumphant mare returned a payout of $5.70 to win.
Moreau's winning streak didn't end there. In the distaff claiming handicap pace event, MacDonald steered Goldies Rockin to a commanding 1-3/4 length victory, clocking an impressive time of 1:52.2. The five-year-old daughter of Rockin Image-A Loskoz Bluegrass claimed her fourth win in six starts this season, marking her 17th victory in 74 career races for owners Sylvain Cote and Robert Bernicky. Goldies Rockin's career earnings soared to $125,622 following her career-best time victory, rewarding bettors with a payout of $6.50.
The training hat trick was sealed with a win by Hillbilly Jet, with MacDonald once again in the driver's seat for Moreau and owner Normand Beausoleil. The ten-year-old Ponder mare secured her fifth win in seven starts this season, adding to her impressive total of 35 career wins from 235 starts and cumulative prize money of $277,082. As the favourite, Hillbilly Jet rewarded supporters with a payout of $2.60 for the win.
In the $12,000 Pop Up Series Consolation, Shovanna and Trevor Henry clinched victory by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.3. Trainer Stewart McQueen and owners Louie Sorella, Stewart McQueen, and James Grant celebrated the triumph as the four-year-old mare, defying odds at 24-1, returned a whopping $50.50 on a winning ticket.