by Jeff Renton, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group

Toronto, April 13, 2005… A masterful Ron Waples steer landed JM Vangogh in the winner’s circle after last year’s C$345,000 Trotting Classic at Mohawk.

Now, in search of a defense of his crown, the eight-year-old son of Earl will begin his journey on Monday at Delaware’s Dover Downs five-eighths strip during the opening round of the Classic Series for older horses.

WEG Photo

JM Vangogh is the defending champion in Monday’s Trotting Classic at Dover Downs.

The C$106,000 (estimated) second round of the Classic Series is scheduled to tie into a robust Woodbine program of racing later this summer on June 4, which will also highlight divisions of the Burlington Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

The third leg of the Classic Series is slated for July 23 at the Meadowlands, while the $250,000 (U.S.) guaranteed final will take place on July 30, also over the New Jersey oval, but will be raced at a distance of 1 1/16-miles.

JM Vangogh, Woodbine Entertainment’s 2004 Trotting Horse of the Year, who is closing in on the $1 million plateau in Canadian earnings for his career, shipped from Ron Waples’ barn at Mohawk on Tuesday morning to be reacquainted with one of his co-owners.

“The gentleman who owns half of him down there, Paul Chambers, is going to have him in his barn and he’ll do whatever has to be done with him,” said Waples of JM Vangogh, who is also owned in part by John Mello.

JM Vangogh has drawn into the $60,000 (U.S.) first race (4:30 p.m.) on Dover’s Monday program of racing.

With Ron Waples listed to be in the bike, JM Vangogh has drawn the outside post in the six-horse field.

Elegant Man, whom JM Vangogh chased down in his monumental triumph last June, has drawn the rail and has Catello Manzi listed to perform the driving duties. Millionaire and multiple Breeders Crown victor Fools Goal has drawn the four-hole and has Hall of Famer John Campbell listed to handle his reins.

Hunt M Down (PP2, Eric Ledford), Cordial Martini (PP3, George Brennan) and Sand Vic (PP5, Trond Smedshammer) are set to complete the field.

JM Vangogh, who has raced in Woodbine Opens since late February in preparation for this year’s installment of the Classic Series, has scored in a pair of the events and has hit the board in the rest of the dashes that he hasn’t reigned supreme in.

“I think that he is going into it just as well as he went into it last year,” said Waples. “He seems like he is on top of his game right now. He trotted right back to his record the other night, although he got beat. He seemed good after the race and I look for him to be good down there.

“He’s versatile and can race any way that you want him to, but I think that his best game is off somebody’s helmet really.”

After banking in excess of $307,000 last season, JM Vangogh has battled tough so far this season and has compiled a 4-3-3 record and over $106,000 in purses from 13 starts.

“In his second-last start, he came right from last [eight lengths in arrears] and trotted home :27 and a bit and was an easy winner,” said Waples, of the 21-time winner. “But he likes it a lot better if he is chasing a horse then if someone comes up behind him. I don’t know why he is that way because he sure doesn’t train that way.

“If you train him with another horse and they come out off your back, he’ll just take right off. For some unknown reason in a race if one comes out from behind him, he doesn’t seem to want to go on and race them.”

The complete field for the pair of Trotting Classic divisions are as follows:

Division #1 (Race 1)

PP – Horse – Listed Driver
1 – Elegant Man – C. Manzi
2 – Hunt M Down – E. Ledford
3 – Cordial Martini – G. Brennan
4 – Fools Goal – Jo. Campbell
5 – Sand Vic – T. Smedshammer
6 – JM Vangogh – Ro. Waples

Division #2 (Race 2)

PP – Horse – Listed Driver
1 – Muscles Marinara – T. Smedshammer
2 – Don Boss Vita – B. Sears
3 – Adriano – W. Hennessey
4 – Chucaro Ahijuana – K. Wallis
5 – War Paint – Jo. Campbell
6 – Al Dente Hanover – Ds. Miller