War Machine and driver Philip Correia endured mixed fortunes during the harness racing season finale at the National Equestrian Centre.

Mello Family’s gelding posted the day’s fastest time (1:03) on the way to victory in the final heat in the Free for All Division but was disqualified in the opening heat for obstruction.

Stallion Special Gold and driver Andrea Westerfield clocked the second-fastest time (1:03/2) competing in the same heat that War Machine was disqualified, and Rockeyed Optimist, Somegoldsomewhere, Red October and Special Gold the third fastest (1:03/3) with Darico Clarke, Kirista Rabain and Westerfield at the helm.

Making their final appearances at the racetrack were geldings Itsallaboutme and A Touch of Red, who were both retired after the day’s racing concluded.

“Thank you to all the volunteers who helped out this season as well as everyone who came out to support the final race of the 2024-25 race season,” Amanda Martins, the Driving Horse and Pony Club secretary, said.

“It was a great day with some of the closest finishes we had all year. Wishing the best retirement to Itsallaboutme and A Touch of Red.”

Missing from the event last Sunday was the popular Champion of Champions event, which was scrapped due to a lack of entries.

Bellhaven Stables’s gelding Smart Machine and owner-driver Candyce Martins produced the fastest time of the season (1:01/3) competing in the Free for All Division to earn a share of the three-year-old record along with her other gelding, Gold N Glory.

The time was a fifth of a second shy of the overall gelding’s record (1:01/2) shared by War Machine and Simsfield Hardtimes and two-fifths off retired mare Google Me’s overall track record, which stands at 1:01/1.

Aaron Sims’s stallion Goldrush won the 2-Year-Old Stakes and gelding Red October the 4-Year-Old Stakes titles with Rabain in the bike. War Machine and Correia captured the Aged Stakes crown while Smart Machine and Martins came away with the 3-Year-Old Stakes title.