Trotter not Hambo eligible

All of the sport’s top sophomore colt trotters will go postward for a $1.5 million purse in Saturday’s Hambletonian at the Meadowlands—all except one. Canadian standout Majestic Son was not eligible, although trainer Mark Steacy said the son of Angus Hall will likely meet up with his stellar peers down the road.

Majestic Son won his Canadian Breeders Championship elimination July 15 in 1:52.4, equaling the mark of Trade Balance as the fastest Canadian-bred 3-year-old male trotter. Trevor Ritchie was in the bike for that 18-length victory, but with Ritchie at the Meadowlands last Saturday while the final was contested, Steacy himself climbed into the sulky. The result was a 5 ½-length win in 1:53.

“We talked for a while about putting somebody else up because I don’t drive a whole lot anymore, but my owners decided that I know the horse best of anybody, so why don’t I sit behind him,” Steacy told harnessracing.com. “I asked Trevor, and he said the same thing. He said ‘why don’t you drive him.’ I thought, what the heck, I might as well.

“He won by 18 the week before, so as long as I didn’t do anything stupid I figured I could get the job done,” he added with a laugh.

With 2006 earnings of $256,933, the five-time winner is the second richest sophomore male trotter in North American, behind only Mr. Pine Chip’s $281,397 bankroll.

“Next up are a couple of Ontario Sire Stakes races, and then after that we get a little more serious,” said Steacy. “He has the Canadian Trotting Classic and Simcoe in September…and then the Super Finals and then the Breeders Crown and Matron. There is still a lot on the table.

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