Open class trotter Combs Hanover made his return to the racetrack on Friday (March 25) after a five-month rest, and the five-year-old looked eager to test those top-class waters once again.
With conditioner and regular pilot Paul MacDonell at the controls, Combs Hanover did all the work on the front end in his Friday morning qualifying test at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He fronted his four rivals at every call, casually but confidently controlling the tempo through early fractions of :30.1, :59.3 and 1:28.3 before opening up on his competition around the far turn. A :29.1 final stanza was enough to post a double-digit win margin with the mile timed in 1:57.4.
Michael and Chris Storms of Picton, Ont. hold the papers on Combs Hanover (Archangel - Chez Lucie), a winner of eight races lifetime with a mark of 1:52 and more than $180,000 in earnings. The Ontario Sires Stakes graduate climbed up the class ladder last spring and then became a regular contender in the Preferred ranks over the summer for his connections. Expect to see Combs Hanover return to that Monday night feature at Mohawk in the upcoming weeks.
The full video replay from the Friday qualifying session is available below.
To view the full results from the Friday qualifying session, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).