by Dean A. Hoffman

If the weather is right and the horse is right, Mark Steacy wouldn’t be surprised if Majestic Son trots into the sub-1:50 zone next year at The Red Mile.

“I know I’m setting myself up for a fall saying that, but I really believe he can do it,” says Steacy, who has trained the standout son of Angus Hall for the past two seasons.

Majestic Son has made a believer out of Steacy—and thousands of others—by winning 19 of his 32 career starts and putting $1,651,765 in the bank along the way. His best time of 1:52.2s was taken at Woodbine in a gate-to-wire effort from post nine in the Canadian Trotting Classic.

His most celebrated victories were three triumphs over Glidemaster in 2006. Those came in the Breeders Crown, Canadian Trotting Classic, and Goodtimes.

“He’s given us so many great moments over the past two years,” says Steacy. “The Canadian Trotting Classic was a great win because of the purse ($900,000) and because that’s a big race in Canada. But there was so much hype going into the Breeders Crown after Glidemaster had won the Kentucky Futurity. That was a great win, too.”

Inevitably, there were a few disappointments, such as Majestic Son’s loss in the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final at Woodbine in mid-October.

“He made a break out of the gate and he was out of the race at the start,” says Steacy. “After dominating the Ontario Sires Stakes all year, that was a real disappointment.”

He also said that losing at Rideau Carleton in early July was another downer because that’s the closest track to home for Steacy.

“He just got a little crooked at the half and made a break,” said Steacy.

He admits that when he started breaking the son of Angus Hall, he didn’t think he was a potential superstar. He says that he sensed the youngster had the ability to compete with the best in Ontario, but last year he actually liked his SJ’s Caviar filly Arlanda Hanover better. She broke a pelvis late in 2005 and didn’t race again.

Steacy says that Majestic Son has been a very sound horse with the exception of a few times when his feet have been a bit ouchy as a result of a quarter crack.

He finished the season with a smashing win in the Breeders Crown, defeating odds-on favorite Glidemaster.

After that, Majestic Son was sent to Tara Hills Stud in Ontario for a fertility test, and Steacy says that it came back “pretty good considering he’s a ridgling.”

“The majority of the owners decided that they wanted to race him another year and then think about standing him at stud,” he said.

“He’s a very smart horse,” said Steacy. “That’s one of his best attributes. He’s also got a great set of lungs and can carry his speed a long way.”

He doesn’t plan to fire up Majestic Son until perhaps June of 2007 and expects that American racing fans will get their first look at him if all goes well.

If Majestic Son stays sound and healthy, Steacy will point him toward a history-making effort at The Red Mile next fall.