by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Deep Impact followed up his second leg triumph with a gate-to-wire victory Thursday night (Aug. 20) in the final of the Define The World series.

A field of seven rookie trotters contested the $27,056 final of the three-week series event.

New Image Media photo

Steve Condren steered Deep Impact to a 1:56 triumph.

The Brad Maxwell trainee Deep Impact was sent off as the 3-2 favorite after posting a second-place finish and a victory in the preliminary legs.

The son of Donato Hanover-Glide Power left from post seven with driver Steve Condren and trotted out to the front to post an opening quarter of :29.4. Deep Impact continued to call the shots through the middle half, posting panels of :58.2 and 1:27.3.

Bucketlist Hanover, also a Maxwell trainee, challenged first up around the final turn, while Blenheim tracked along in the two-hole.

In the stretch, Deep Impact pulled away from his rivals and trotted home smoothly in :28.3 for a 3-1/2 length victory in 1:56. Lean Hanover rallied from fifth for second, while Bucketlist Hanover and Blenheim finished third and fourth, respectively.

Deep Impact is owned by Maxwell, Van Camp Trotting Corp, Tim Murray and Doug Millard and was a $65,000 yearling purchase at last fall’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. The rookie trotter now has a record of two wins from three starts and earnings of $20,368. Deep Impact’s clocking of 1:56.1 knocked a full second off his previous career-mark. A $2 win ticket on the Maxwell trainee returned $5.