McWicked and harness racing driver Brian Sears were able to grind it out first-over in capturing the $250,000 Dan Rooney Invitational Pace at Yonkers Raceway Saturday for the second straight year.
The 11th race feature saw Jimmy Freight (Scott Zeron) and None Bettor A (Jason Bartlett) trade control of the lead with Jimmy Freight winning out by the first quarter in :26.2.
Coming around the second turn Jimmy Freight remained in control as Sears started McWicked up first-over past the half mile :55.1 and right through to the three-quarters in 1:22.4 with The Real One (Pat Lachance) hanging in the hunt second-over.
McWicked was able to grind by Jimmy Freight by the top of the stretch and then was barely able to hold off a late flying Micky Gee N (Jordan Stratton) to win by a long nose in 1:51.1. Jimmy Freight was third by a length.
“I can’t say enough about the horse and the way he races,” Said Brian Sears of McWicked. “He has been battling hoof issues all summer, but he shows up every week. I was pretty pleased where I got away in the race. I did come first-up a little earlier than I like, but he battled tough and held on to the wire.”
It was the second straight win and sixth of the year for McWicked. The eight-year-old stallion by McArdle is trained by Casie Coleman and owned by the S S G Stables of North Boston, NY. (Ed James) and paid $6.90 to win. With the $125,000 winners share of the purse, McWicked now sports career earnings of $4,878,342.
By Steve Wolf, for Harneslink