Maple Leaf Trot field set

Over a ‘sloppy’ Mohawk Racetrack rated two seconds slow, Elegant Man and Sand Vic reigned supreme Saturday evening in Campbellville during their respective $55,000 eliminations for the prestigious Maple Leaf Trot.

In the opening elimination, driver George Brennan had Elegant Man ($13.60, $6.20, $4.80) widest of all through the stretch and the seven-year-old Malabar Man stallion came on to post a 1¼-length victory over Muscles Marinara ($4.80, $3.40) and pilot Mark MacDonald in 1:55.2.

The victory was the first in 11 starts for the Bob Bencal-trained bay, who, via the win, will be able to select the 19-time winner’s starting position in next Saturday’s (September 9) $877,500 final.

“There’s only one way that I can race him [from off the pace],” Brennan said about Elegant Man. “He races best that way, so I tipped him at the top of the stretch and he trotted well to the wire.”

Brennan and Elegant Man sat off the early tempo, which saw the fractions cut in :27.1, :56.3 and 1:25.4, respectively.

Med Vac ($4.40) and driver David Miller finished third, beaten 6½ lengths

Abbey Road C (driven by Keith Jones) finished fourth, and S A Speedy Balance (Chris Christoforou) fifth.

Sand Vic ($3.30, $2.40, $2.10) was sent off as the post time choice in the second elimination, and the five-year-old Mr Vic stallion didn’t disappoint, as he went to the lead before the half-mile and had it all his way until he hit the wire first in 1:54.1.

Peaceful Way ($3.60, $2.90) and driver Trevor Ritchie finished second, five-lengths in arrears, while Gettindownanddirty ($4.70) and reinsman Paul MacDonell finished third, beaten 6¾-lengths.

“He has been sharp all year, so it was good to see him race well again,” Sears said. “I could tell how close [the rest of the field] were, and they weren’t knocking on his door, so he felt pretty good right through the wire.”

Hez Striking (driven by John Campbell) finished fourth, and Stiletto (Rick Zeron) fifth.

Sand Vic rode the pocket through the 27-second opening quarter-mile, tipped first over and cleared to the lead before the second stanza flashed to life in 57-seconds flat.

The three-quarters pole was tripped in 1:26-flat, and Sand Vic trotted leisurely to the wire with a :28.1 final quarter.

The post position draw for the final was conducted afterwards in the paddock.

The draw results are listed below.

Maple Leaf Trot
Post Position – Horse – Listed Driver
1 – Peaceful Way – T. Ritchie
2 – Elegant Man – G. Brennan
3 –Sand Vic – B. Sears
4 – Med Vac – D. Miller
5 – SA Speedy Balance – C. Christoforou
6 – Muscles Marinara – Ma. MacDonald
7 – Hez Striking – J. Campbell
8 – Gettindownanddirty – P. MacDonell
9 – Stiletto – R. Zeron
10 – Abbey Road C – K. Jones
AE1 – Vivid Photo – R. Hammer

(WEG)

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