Majestic Son beats the best

The Canadian Trotting Cliassc final was billed as a two-horse race between Hambletonian winner Glidemaster and World Trotting Derby champion Chocolatie, but instead Majestic Son won by open lengths over Glidemaster in a stakes record 1:52.2, and Chocolatier was even farther up the Mohawk track..

Majestic Son, the post time third choice at 5-1, rocketed to the front from the nine-hole just before the first quarter, which was reached in :28 flat, then took the field through a comfortable half in :56.1.

From there the Ontario Sire Stakes star proved uncatchable, coasting home by 6 3/4 lengths in a stakes and track record 1:52.2, with Glidemaster a distant second and longshot Berto Primo third. Slight favorite Chocolatier made an early stretch break and wound up a distant ninth.

Not only did Majestic Son destroy the cream of the 3-year-old trotting colt crop, but he also became harness racing’s newest millionaire with the $500,000 first place prize. Theson of Angus Hall has won 15 of 27 career outings.

It was the second Canadian Trotting Classic win for Ritchie, who guided Hambletonian winner Yankee Paco to victory in 2000, but the first for trainer Mark Steacy and the Majestic Son Stable of Lansdowne, Ontario.

“It’s a great feeling, a great race to win,” said Ritchie. “I only knew it was over when I crossed the finish line. He got nice fractions. I’m very confident with this horse. He can go a long way and he proved it again tonight. He hadn’t raced in a couple of weeks last week (when finishing third to Chocolatier and Glidemaster in the elimination).”

It was the second big win for Ritchie in the last two weeks, after taking the $918,500 Maple Leaf Trot, also in an upset, in a similar romp, with Peaceful Way, on Sept. 9 at Mohawk.

“It didn’t help us any - the race didn’t really break ideally for us,” said driver John Campbell, about Glidemaster, who was second-over in fifth, but five lengths behind Majestic Son, after the three-quarters was reached in 1:23.4, before being swung out for the stretch drive.

“But take nothing away from the winner. He was very strong and we really couldn’t make up any ground on him through the stretch. But [Glidemaster] gives you a good effort every time. He’s a pleasure to drive.”

Said an excited Steacy, “Most definitely (my biggest win). It’s not every day you get to go for a million dollars. I won a big one (the Oakville Stakes) last year with Arlanda Hanover, but this beats them all. There was no real game plan. As far as the driving and the trip, that was left up to Trevor. He knows the horse. Fortunately, everything turned out great.”

“He was very impressive last year, He had a few bumps in the road but he showed big- time speed. When it came time to make some stakes payments in February, we thought the Trotting Classic was the biggest and we thought we had a real chance. I was really surprised that he got to the front before the first turn. But when he did, this horse is very hard to beat when he gets there (the front) because he’s got a big kick.”

There will be no rest for the stakes-record holder, though, as Majestic Son, according to Steacy, will race again this Friday in another O.S.S. Gold Elimination, followed by the Gold Final and a Super Final. “If everything goes well, we’ve got the Matron later and maybe even the Yonkers Trot,” Steacy said. (WEG release)

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