Jones captures International Women’s Day race

MILTON, March 8, 2025 – Maggie Jones steered four-year-old trotter Veracruz to a sweeping victory in Saturday’s International Women’s Day race at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

A field of nine overnight trotters lined up for Saturday’s all-women drivers race to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Pam Forgie fired Derf Hanover out to the lead to post a :29.1 opening-quarter. The duo would show the way throughout but were pressed through the entire middle-half by Mister Magic and Anita Ouellette.

With the field stacking up at three-quarters in 1:28.1, the trotters fanned out five-wide coming off the last turn. Jones, who had taken Veracruz back to eighth early, sat fourth-over at the third marker. In the stretch, Derf Hanover was pushed hard by Forgie and showed his 11-year-old grit trying to hold on, only surrendering the lead in the final-sixteenth of the mile.

While it appeared So Not Cool and Natasha Day might have the victory in sight coming down the lane, they were overtaken by a powering Veracruz and Jones, who trotted off to a 2 ½ length score in 1:58.2.

“My plan was just to float away and get a spot,” said Jones post-race. “(Veracruz) was just really strong and really game and he just kept coming. He was amazing and never quit.

“(This feels) pretty amazing, I won’t lie. I was pretty happy when I could see the wire and thought we were going to get there.”

Veracruz and Jones went off at odds of 4-1 ($10.20).

So Not Cool and Day held second, while Eternally Hanover (Jesse Turenne) was third and Tymal Tarot (Marie-Claude Auger) was fourth.

The field of drivers that participated in this year’s International Women’s Day race is listed below.

Maggie Jones
​Natasha Day
​Jesse Turenne
​Marie-Claude Auger
​Anita Ouellette
​Pam Forgie
​Marielle Enberg
​Anne Marie Turenne
​Julie Walker

Live racing continues every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Post time is 6:30 p.m.

For complete race results, click here.

From Woodbine Mohawk Park