by Greg Gangle, WEG media

Campbellville, ON — Mohawk Racetrack will offer another outstanding race card on Saturday (Sept. 18), featuring the C$1 million Canadian Trotting Classic which showcases North America’s best 3-year-old colt trotters.

There will be more than C$2 million in purse money up for grabs during the evening and some of the other rich events include the C$500,000 William Wellwood Memorial, C$466,000 Peaceful Way Stakes, a lone elimination of the Milton Stakes for the continent’s best older pacing mares and a pair of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold eliminations for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

New Image Media photo

Lucky Chucky and John Campbell drew the rail in the C$1 million Canadian Trotting Classic on Saturday.

The Canadian Trotting Classic is Canada’s richest trotting event and Lucky Chucky will be looking for redemption for trainer Chuck Sylvester. The son of Windsong’s Legacy finished a close second in the $1.5 million Hambletonian earlier this year at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, behind Jimmy Takter trainee Muscle Massive.

Lucky Chucky has drawn post one in the lucrative final with Muscle Massive leaving from post five.

Despite being defeated in this year’s Hambletonian, Lucky Chucky’s trainer Chuck Sylvester is confident that his charge is the one to beat on Saturday.

“I’m very confident in my horse,” Sylvester explained. “I think that if my horse (Lucky Chucky) and Muscle Massive get an equal trip that my horse will win. Muscle Massive will have to have a much better trip than my horse to find the winner’s circle.”

Lucky Chucky arrived in Canada late Wednesday afternoon and, according to the veteran conditioner, is in perfect form.

“He (Lucky Chucky) shipped great, my caretaker jogged him Thursday morning and he’s healthy and ready to go. I trained him before he shipped and things couldn’t be better.”

Post positions always play a major role in any race and Sylvester is delighted to have post one.

“It sure beats post 10,” Sylvester chuckled. “I don’t mind post one, it’s the quickest way around the track and we can dictate where we want to be positioned early in the mile.”

Just a mere $10,000 yearling purchase, Lucky Chucky has bankrolled over $1.4 million for owners SGS Partners, Perretti Racing Stable LLC and Lindy Racing Stable. Hall of Fame driver John Campbell will steer the colt who will be looking to add the lion’s share of C$1 million to his bankroll.

Saturday is also customer appreciation night on behalf of Mohawk Racetrack. The first 2,000 fans will receive a complimentary slice of pizza and beverage.

Mohawk Racetrack will offer a guaranteed pool of $50,000 on Saturday’s early Pick-4 as part of the festivities and fans who can’t make it to the track can watch live coverage of the C$1 million Canadian Trotting Classic during a one-hour special on The Score from 9-10 p.m.