from Western Fair Raceway

London, ON — Long time Standardbred breeder and owner Bob Hamather has captured many of the sport’s top stakes events and on Friday night, May 21, he has two homebred full brothers vying to earn a spot into the rich Molson Pace Final at his home track of Western Fair Raceway.

Hamather’s starters are the Camluck geldings Wholly Louy and Legal Litigator, both trained by three-time O’Brien Award winner as Canada’s Trainer of the Year, Casie Coleman. Between the two brothers they’ve earned well over a million dollars to date.

New Image Media photo

Legal Litigator is closing in on the $500,000 mark in career earnings.

Legal Litigator has drawn the rail in the first elimination, race eight, with Mark MacDonald down to drive. It will mark the first Canadian start of the 2010 season for the 5-year-old who has been racing at Yonkers Raceway in New York where he has been impressive in five legs and the final of the George Morton Levy Series.

In his most recent start, the $460,000 Levy Final, he finished second, timed in 1:52.2. Legal Litigator comes into the Molson Pace with standings of 3-2-4 in 14 starts this year for $206,740 in earnings. Lifetime he has earned $492,923.

His full brother, Wholly Louy, will start two races later in the third Molson Pace elimination, race 10, where he’s drawn post three with MacDonald in the bike. The 6-year-old has $72,000 earned to date this year and $573,812 made lifetime. Friday’s start will also mark Wholly Louy’s first Canadian appearance this year as he has also been competing at Yonkers.

The brothers are both from the Artsplace mare By Desire, another homebred of Hamather’s. She is a sister to several of his good performers including By Xample ($559,813), N Example ($472,921) and N Aboriginal ($310,258).

The top two finishers in each of the three eliminations will qualify for the C$225,000 (added) final along with two of the third place finishers drawn by lot. The final goes Friday, May 28.

The three eliminations will line up as follows:

First elimination, race 8
1. Legal Litigator
2. Stonebridge Terror
3. Primary Purpose
4. Southwind Lynx
5. Anderlecht
6. Keep It Real
7. Bay Of Sharks

Second elimination, race 9
1. Blueridge Western
2. Lucky Man
3. Panmunjom
4. Won The West
5. Carnivore
6. Bigtime Ball
7. Mr Wiggles
8. Annieswesterncard

Third elimination, race 10
1. Chasin Racin
2. Foiled Again
3. Wholly Louy
4. Hypnotic Blue Chip
5. Go Go Solano
6. Pangiorno
7. River Shark