MILTON, June 15, 2019 –Tony Alagna-trainee Pilot Discretion soared by a pair of dueling leaders to remain unbeaten from six harness racing starts with a 1:52.4 mile in the $247,000 Goodtimes Final on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Driver Andrew McCarthy positioned the son of Muscle Hill fifth as Swandre The Giant powered to the top approaching a :27.3 opening quarter. Knight Angel, starting from post 10, got stuck wide and progressed towards the leaders before stalling towards a :55.2 half.
Moving to the far turn, McCarthy then pulled off the pylons to race third over and fanned to the center of the track passing three-quarters in 1:24.3. From there Pilot Discretion slid past Swandre The Giant into the final sixteenth to win over pocket-popping Forbidden Trade. Super Schissel, catching cover fourth over, finished third.
"I was having a little trouble seeing up the back," McCarthy said after the race. "I was looking up to see whether Sylvain [Filion on Knight Angel] made it or not and I ended up third over but it worked out. This horse loves a target…you just have to remind him after he clears."
Owned by Robert LeBlanc, David Anderson and John Fodera, Pilot Discretion has now earned $164,500 from his six starts–two as a freshman and four as a sophomore. The Hambletonian hopeful returned $3.00 to win.
"I always think its amazing for any colt so lightly raced at two can come back and step right into this level," Alagna said after the race. "My owners and I talked about it all the way and we always hoped our first stake race would be the Goodtimes because it'd be a nice flow into the stakes company without having to take on all the top colts like Greenshoe and Gimpanzee."
With a win in the Goodtimes, Pilot Discretion has the potential to give Canadian-native Robert LeBlanc a shot at harness racing's biggest prize, the Hambletonian.
"I've watched the Goodtimes for years and years and to even be part of it was great," LeBlanc said after the race. "[The Hambletonian's] a bucket-list item. If you can have a horse that can compete in the Hambo…as an owner that's the ultimate thing."
By Ray Cotolo
for Woodbine Mohawk Park