from Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA

Freehold, NJ — Ray Schnittker made no excuses for Deweycheatumnhowe’s second-place finish to Crazed in his September 6 elimination race for Saturday’s C$1 million Canadian Trotting Classic at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario.

Deweycheatumnhowe, who counted the Hambletonian, World Trotting Derby and Stanley Dancer Memorial among his victories this year, had won 17 of 17 lifetime starts entering last weekend.

New Image Media photo

Crazed passed Deweycheatumnhowe in the lane to win their Canadian Trotting Classic elimination.

“I don’t know; it just seems like he threw in a clunker,” said Schnittker, the colt’s trainer/driver/co-owner as he was traveling to Lindy Farm outside Hartford, Connecticut to look at yearlings on Monday morning. “We’ll see what happens. He got the 10 hole in the final, which will be tough. Disappointing, but he seemed like he was still good after the race.”

Deweycheatumnhowe, who trotted the fastest mile of the season, 1:50.4, in winning the World Trotting Derby on August 30 at Du Quoin, exhibited no signs of illness and was eating well.

“He seems fine,” Schnittker said. “I don’t know if the shipping might have gotten to him or whatever.”

In recent weeks, Dewey shipped nearly 1,800 miles from his home near Goshen, New York, to Lexington, Kentucky, for a short layover at his future home at Walnut Hall Limited on August 26, then on to Du Quoin, Illinois, on August 29 before heading to Campbellville, Ontario to race in the CTC elim.

“It looks like speed wasn’t that great (on Saturday) either, but that other horse (Crazed) is a good horse.”

Schnittker was asked if he might re-shoe Dewey, as some have noted the Mohawk surface is unique to other racetracks and requires specific shoeing changes.

“I don’t know; I don’t want to give any excuses for him,” he said. “He just wasn’t on top his game and I got stung pretty good that first eighth. We went in :27 and a piece (actually :27.2) but probably that first eighth was in :13. That might have taken a little bit out of him — more than I thought.”

Dewey will remain in Ontario as he prepares for the CTC final.

“He’s up at Marv Chandler’s farm this week; Paul (Doherty, Schnittker’s assistant trainer) is up there with him,” Schnittker said. “His daughter (Chandler’s) rode him yesterday and he seems like he’s fine.”

Below is the field in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers, for Saturday’s C$1 million Canadian Trotting Classic at Mohawk Racetrack. The connections of elim winners Crazed and Clerk Magistrate selected their posts; the others were drawn.

Horse-2008 Record-Driver-Trainer
McCarron-12-2-3-3-$111,850-1:58s-T. Ritchie-M. Steacy
Clerk Magistrate-15-6-3-3-$495,427-1:53.2-T. Ritchie-P. Henriksen
Crazed-8-6-1-1-$701,550-1:52.2-T. Tetrick-F. Antonacci Jr.
Velocity Hall-13-2-2-2-$90,797-Q1:56.3-J. Jamieson-J. Czernyson
Napoleon-11-5-0-2-$410,781-1:53-J. Campbell-M.Vanderkemp
Nureyev-12-0-3-3-$85,813-Q2:00.3s-P. MacDonell-W. Companion
Atomic Hall-11-1-1-2-$88,922-1:54-S. Condren-T. Smedshammer
B Strike Three-11-6-1-2-$280,699-1:53.4f-R. Zeron-G. Mackenzie
Celebrity Secret-12-4-5-0-$611,600-1:54-T. Tetrick-S. Lind
Deweycheatumnhowe-8-7-1-0-$1.3 mil-1:50.4-R. Schnittker