Seven And Seven captures Wellwood Memorial
September 17, 2016,by Ray Cotolo, for WEG Communications
Campbellville, ON — Seven And Seven lunged off cover and down the center of the track to take the C$350,000 William Wellwood Memorial final in 1:55.3 Saturday night (Sept. 17) at Mohawk Racetrack.
New Image Media photo
Seven And Seven adds a triumph in the William Wellwood Memorial to his burgeoning resume.
International Moni led the field of rookie trotters to the opening-quarter in :28, in front of Signal Hill and wide of Seven And Seven in second. Signal Hill obtained control into the backstretch and was soon pressured by International Moni, who was flushed first over by Seven And Seven. Off a half-mile in :57.1, Signal Hill battled with International Moni around the final turn. Jake shot up the pylons into third while Seven And Seven stalked International Moni.
At three-quarters in 1:26.1, Signal Hill clung to the lead. International Moni gradually edged by to his outside while Seven And Seven tipped towards the center of the track and Jake split horses, diving towards the inside. Seven And Seven took the front into the final sixteenth of the mile and pulled away for a three-length score over Jake and International Moni, who held on for third.
Seven And Seven is a 2-year-old colt by Chapter Seven out of the Kadabra mare Ally Oop. Owned by trainer Thomas Durand along with wife June Durand and partner Allan Smith, the colt has won four races in seven starts, compiling C$226,768 in earnings. John Campbell was in the bike.
“It was a great surprise when I saw the changes and that I was on him,” John Campbell said. “I’ve followed him and have known what he was capable of and how well he had raced for Tom (Durand) all along. I thought he was coming into the race very good. He’s just perfect to drive. Anybody can drive him. He’s just like a pro.”
Saturday’s Wellwood Memorial final was the first time trainer Tom Durand didn’t drive Seven And Seven.
“I had a couple of things to iron out with him,” he said. “He was a little fussy behind the gate, so I got that smoothed out, and I thought it was time to turn the reins over to the most experienced driver in the world.”
A $2.00 win ticket on Seven And Seven returned $7.30.
- Mohawk stakes finals in Grand Circuit spotlight (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)
Grand Circuit action at Mohawk will be held on Saturday with the C$632,000 Maple Leaf Trot for older trotters, the C$687,000 Canadian Trotting Classic for 3-year-old male trotters, the C$436,000 Elegantimage for 3-year-old filly trotters, the C$350,000 William Wellwood Memorial for 2-year-old male trotters, the C$363,000 Peaceful Way final for 2-year-old filly trotters, and two C$35,000 eliminations in the Milton Stake for older pacing mares.
- C$2.6 million Maple Leaf Trot and Canadian Trotting Classic card set (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)
All eyes will be on harness racing’s finest trotters Saturday evening (Sept. 17) at Mohawk Racetrack for Maple Leaf Trot and Canadian Trotting Classic night. An outstanding card featuring the best trotters of all ages has been assembled with more than C$2.6 million in purse money on the line.
- Burke seeks Wellwood trifecta with What The Hill (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)
Trainer Ron Burke will try to win the William Wellwood Memorial for the third consecutive year, and while this season’s contender What The Hill might not enter Saturday’s race with the same buildup as 2015 champion Southwind Frank, the colt has shown he possesses one extremely coveted talent — the desire to get to the finish line first.
- Magic Presto evokes memories of Bee A Magician in pursuit of Peaceful Way title (Thursday, September 15, 2016)
Everyone in this business longs for that horse; the one that is a world champion, a Horse of the Year and charts the course of history so their name is forever distinguished, remembered and revered. Although Magic Presto has only just begun her career, the inspiration behind her purchase was the premonition that lightning may be captured in a bottle, not once, but twice and that she could follow in the hoofprints of another filly that first served notice of her superiority with a victory in the 2012 Peaceful Way — Bee A Magician.
- Ariana G strolls in Peaceful Way (Saturday, September 17, 2016)
Securing the lead after the half-mile, Ariana G advanced towards a 1:54 victory in the C$363,000 Peaceful Way final on Saturday night (Sept.17) at Mohawk Racetrack.
- Resolve victorious in epic Maple Leaf Trot (Saturday, September 17, 2016)
Resolve turned in a game effort to come away with 1:51.4 victory in the C$632,000 Maple Leaf Trot Saturday night (Sept. 17) at Mohawk Racetrack. The 5-year-old stallion was went toe-to-toe with standout mare Hannelore Hanover for the final half-mile and ultimately wore down the powerhouse to score a 1-1/2 victory for Swedish native and trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt.
- Bar Hopping gives Takter third consecutive Trotting Classic (Saturday, September 17, 2016)
Bar Hopping charged home to win the C$687,000 Canadian Trotting Classic by 3-1/2 lengths Saturday night (Sept. 17) at Mohawk Racetrack. Trained by Jimmy Takter, the colt was able to convert off a perfect second-over steer by Tim Tetrick to win Canada’s biggest race for 3-year-old trotters and provide Takter with his third straight victory in the contest.