by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Heavenly Hill benefited from a front-end duel to win the Blossom Series final Monday night (April 11) at Mohawk Racetrack. A field of ten 3-year-old pacing fillies contested the $31,108 Blossom final. Heavenly Hill was sent off as the heavy favorite after a convincing victory in last week’s second leg.

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Heavenly Hill was a 1:53.4 winner in the Blossom final.

The public’s choice got away third for driver Jonathan Drury, as 90-1 shot Radar Trap and Randy Waples made the front from post nine to post an opening quarter of :27.2. Jody Jamieson quickly pulled the pocket in the second quarter with Noone To Depend On, but Waples was not in a giving mood. Radar Trap and Noone To Depend On waged war by the half in :55.2. Around the final turn, Drury angled Heavenly Hill out from third and went three-wide around the lead pair, who began to fade.

The favorite posted a three-quarter time of 1:24.2 and pulled away from her rivals in the lane. Heavenly Hill stopped the clock for a three length victory in 1:53.4. Windsun Glory finished second, while Evangelin Seelster was third.

Heavenly Hill’s victory was the second series final victory in three days for owner George Munniksma and trainer Carmen Auciello. The daughter of Art Colony now has three wins in six starts this season. The Blossom final was the fifth career victory for Heavenly Hill and pushes her career earnings tor $110,436. The clocking of 1:53.4 knocked two-fifths of a second off her previous career best. Heavenly Hill paid $2.90 to win.

In order to be eligible to the Blossom, the sophomore pacing fillies had to be non-winners of three races or C$15,000 in 2015.

The opening round of the Tie Silk Series for 3-year-old trotters also took place Monday.

In the first $12,320 division, Muscle Hustle made a second quarter move to the lead for trainer/driver Per Henriksen and never looked back. The son of Muscle Mass scored a 2-1/4 length victory in 1:57.1. Chestnut Schofield finished second, while On The Ridge was third.

Muscle Hustle was making his season’s debut Monday and now has two wins in four career starts for owner Ecruie Bergh. He paid $20.30 to win.

Donicus lived up to his heavy favorite status and scored a blowout victory in the second division. Owner/trainer Eddie Green steered the son of Deweycheathumnhowe to a 13 length triumph in 1:56. P C Foreign Affair finished second and two lengths ahead of Blownoutofthewater.

Donicus now has six wins in eight starts this season and seven career victories overall. The Green trainee has banked $33,881 of his $40,642 in career earnings this season. Donicus paid $3.40 to win.

In order to be eligible to the Tie Silk, the 3-year-old trotters had to be non-winners of C$30,000 in 2015.

Also on Monday, Fearless Man scored his second Preferred win in his last three starts. Trainer/driver Rick Zeron put Fearless Man in his usual spot on the lead and never looked back. The Zeron trainee posted solid fractions of :27, :55 and 1:23.4. In the stretch, Fearless Man trotted home in :31.1 over the ‘good’ track and secured his fourth win of the year by a half-length in 1:55. Hldontghttoyurdrms rallied for second, while Exemplar finished third.

Owned by Rick Zeron Stables, Noblock Racing Stable, Murray Greenfield and Cool Cat Racing, Fearless Man now has four wins in 10 starts this season for earnings of $69,030. The 6-year-old gelded son of Elegant Man now has 26 career victories and earnings of $414,304. Fearless Man paid $5.10 to win.

Live racing resumes Thursday night at Mohawk Racetrack. Post time is 7:30 p.m.