Maple Leaf Trot elims at Mohawk

The buzz was all about Lucky Jim, the Pennsylvania-bred who is currently riding a phenomenal
14-race winning streak, and the gelding did not disappoint Saturday night at Mohawk in the first of three $50,000 eliminations for the July 25 Maple Leaf Trot.

 

Though local hero San Pail (Randy Waples) battled tenaciously with him from the three-quarter pole on, it was Lucky Jim, with Andy Miller in the bike, who emerged one and a quarter lengths ahead at the wire in a smart 1:51.4, and earned himself the right to choose his post position
for next week’s lucrative final.

 

Rose Run Hooligan (Rick Zeron) was third and the Swedish entry Amour Ami, who is co-owned by NHL stars Daniel and Henrik Sedin, failed to fire and finished sixth in the field of seven.

Lucky Jim, who couldn’t get out of his own way at three, has blossomed into one of North America’s top trotters at four, under the tutelage of Julie Miller. Husband Andy commented, “He just kind of coasted his way to the front. He’s such a professional. He just loves to win races.”

A son of SJ's Photo, Lucky Jim is owned by David and John Prushnok of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and William Gregg of Indiana, PA. He returned $2.60 and $2.10 for the win.

The 5-year-old Sakic Seelster (Mario Baillargeon) proved the toughest in the second of the three elims this evening, holding off all comers and front-stepping his way wire to wire in 1:54. Swedish millionaire Triton Sund, with Jorgen Sjunnesson in the bike, proved far more comfortable on the Canadian footing than his compatriot Amour Ami and put up a strong challenge to finish second, two and a quarter lengths back, while 40-1 longshot, Nureyev (Jack Moiseyev) was a determined
third.

 

Sakic Seelster, who made breaks in his Artwo starts in the Masters series at Georgian Downs, is now outfitted with trotting hobbles, which Baillargeon explained are loose, but give the gelding confidence in the turns.

 

“He didn’t like the footing there (at Georgian), so we decided to skip the final there and qualify him with the hobbles. He had them on a couple years ago. Tonight he had an easy middle half, 58 seconds, and that did the trick.

 

“I didn’t know much about that overseas horse (Triton Sund) – he’s a pretty good horse, he’s made $800,000 this year, and I thought he was the horse to beat. He came first up and (Sakic Seelster) fought off a good horse I think.

 

“(Choosing my post position) is the part I like. I won’t choose the 10 hole, that’s for sure. Two or three would be good for him.”

 

Ben Baillargeon, the WEG circuit’s leading trainer of 2009, conditions Sakic Seelster, who is by Eager Seelster out of the King Conch mare, Armbro Super. Santo Vena of Brampton, Ontario and Nunzio Vena share ownership. This was the gelding’s 10th win this season in 19 tries. He returned $8.40 for the win.

 

Arch Madness, the 9-5 favorite, set himself up to defend his Maple Leaf Trot title by roaring to victory in the final of the three elims. Trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer played a waiting game with the 5-year-old gelding while Define The World and Paul MacDonell seized the early lead, with Ericskarri and Jody Jamieson in their wake. Andy Miller, looking for a second MLT elim score, hustled Four Starz Speed past the pair at the half-mile marker, and the Conway Hall gelding led
the field into the stretch with Define The World pocket-sitting and In Focus (Trevor Ritchie) on the move but unable to reach the leaders through the far turn.

 

In the stretch, Smedshammer put Arch Madness in motion from the far outside, and accelerated past a tiring Four Starz Speed to win by a head in 1:53.4. In Focus tagged along for second, with Four Starz Speed hanging on for third. The third of the Swedish invitees, Glen Kronos,
was never a factor and finished fifth for Luc Ouellette.

 

Arch Madness, by Balanced Image, is owned by Marc Goldberg and Willow Pond LLC and is closing in on $2 million in earnings after what some might call a difficult childhood. He was second in last year’s MLT elimination and came back to win over Enough Talk by two and a half
lengths.

 

Smedshammer explained his strategy tonight thusly: “He’s been on the front end enough, this horse, and he hasn’t been quite himself, so we decided to race him from off the pace and try to get his confidence back. If he was on his A game, I wasn’t worried about qualifying even
from far back. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to reach the win, but if he was on his A game he should be able to beat most of those horses from anywhere.

 

“I’m very happy with the way he raced today and last week, so I think he’s heading in the right direction.”

 

The $730,000 (est.) final of the Maple Leaf Trot will be the marquee event on a stakes-studded card next Saturday, July 25 at Mohawk. The top three finishers from each of the eliminations tonight, plus one fourth-place finisher, will advance. (WEG)