Woodbine Mohawk Park: Brooms out for Rau Ru, Publicity Seeker in Harvest Series

Harvest Series finals for 2-year-olds continued Thursday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park with male pacers and trotters in the spotlight. A full field of 10 clashed in the C$48,100 Harvest Series final for pacing colts and geldings, while over on the trotting side it was a field of seven in a C$45,100 contest.

Rau Ru powered by No Free Lunch in deep stretch to complete the sweep of the pacing colts and geldings series.

Driven by Paul MacDonell, Rau Ru quickly brushed from fourth to first in the second quarter. The lead was short-lived, though, as 4-5 favourite No Free Lunch, who had gotten away fifth, followed that move, clearing to command at a 56 1/5 half.

No Free Lunch reached three-quarters in 1:25 1/5 and looked to sprint home for the victory, but Rau Ru angled out of the two-hole with an eighth of a mile to go and muscled by to complete the series sweep, stopping the clock in 1:53 2/5. No Free Lunch finished second by a length and a half, while Mustang Beach was third.

Trained by Clark Beelby, Rau Ru improved his numbers to four wins and C$54,008 earned in eight starts with the Harvest Series victory. The son of Bettor's Delight was a $105,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase a year ago and is owned by Coyote Wynd Farms. A $2 win ticket on Rau Ru $8.20.

There was little drama in the trotting final, as Publicity Seeker trotted strongly to the top in the second quarter and marched to a career-best 1:55 2/5 score for driver Doug McNair and trainer Stephen Bossence.

A gelded son of Muscle Mass, Publicity Seeker made it a Harvest Series sweep with the strong performance and now sits at five wins and C$62,410 earned in eight starts for owners Bossence, Richard Thompson, and Derek Reid.

Publicity Seeker put up solid fractions of 57 and 1:26 4/5 before a 28 3/5 final quarter sealed the victory. Mystic finished 2 3/4 lengths back in second, while Arlanda was third.

A $2 win ticket on Publicity Seeker returned $2.50.

The Harvest Series was open to Ontario-sired 2-year-olds who were non-winners of C$30,000 in 2020 as of September 30.

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--